ONE moving moment during the Philippine Sportswriters Awards dinner last Monday night was the sight of 2024 PSA Athlete of the Year Carlos Edriel Yulo sharing the spotlight with younger sibling Karl Eldrew.
“Gusto kong i-share ‘yung award ko kay kuya Caloy mamaya,” Karl said of the citation he received from the sportswriting fraternity and the country’s oldest media group for winning the vault gold in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last year.
Of course, his “kuya” was the night’s center of attraction for his historic golden double in the Paris Olympic Games last year, earning him the PSA Athlete of the Year plum, an award that he graciously accepted at the heritage-rich Manila Hotel grand ballroom.
Once the affair was over, Carlos willingly obliged his younger brother, who had his trophy in hand, to bond and take pictures with him.
“Sobrang natutuwa at nagagalak na may susunod na po after ko. Wini-wish ko at pinapagdasal na maabot niya (Eldrew) ang kanyang pinagdadasal sa buhay at siyempre sa pagiging atleta,” said the ace gymnast.
“Natutuwa ako na malaki na po ‘yong na-improve niya (Eldrew) at ang masasabi ko lang ay ipagpatuloy niya ang practice,” noted the two-time world champion, who hoped to give more pointers to his younger brother now that both are training at the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines gym in Intramuros, Manila.
“Bumabalik pa lang sa training, huwag mabigla. Importante maka-compete ng healthy na physically, mentally at spiritually,” he said.
After the euphoria over his Olympic success and extended vacation, Yulo said he is slowly getting back into training as he eyes his third straight Olympics in Los Angeles three years from now.
“Enjoy na makapasok ako sa Olympics muli na healthy at anuman ang mangyari, sobrang grateful ako dun at walang pagsisi,” said the athlete, who, if everything goes according to plan, could be competing in the LA Olympics side-by-side with his younger brother.
A GAP insider said that after the affair, Carlos took his younger brother back to their old home in Leveriza, Malate.