CARLOS Yulo competes in the first of his three final events in artistic gymnastics, while Carlo Paalam begins his bid for a second one in boxing during the Day Five of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
Boxer Hergie Bacyadan, and rower Joanie Delgaco are also in action on Wednesday, but the spotlight in the Philippine campaign in the Olympics will be on Yulo and Paalam, two of the strongest medal contenders of the delegation.
Yulo will be one of the 24 gymnasts who will be going for a medal in the men’s all-around final starting at 5:30 p.m. Paris time (11:30 p.m. Manila time) at the Bercy Arena.
Paalam vies an impressive opener in his bid to match or surpass his silver-medal finish in the Tokyo Olympics with a bout against Jude Gallagher of Ireland in the men’s 57kg at 3:30 p.m. Paris time (9:30 p.m. Manila time).at the Arena Paris Nord.
Meanwhile, Bacyadan faces a tall order as she takes on top-seed Li Qian of China in her own round-of-16 clash in the women’s 75kg at the Arena Paris Nord.
Delgaco seeks for the best finish possible in rowing when she races in the Semifinal C/D of the women’s single sculls at 10:14 a.m. Paris time (4:14 p.m. Manila time) at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
Though one of our best bets for an Olympic medal, Yulo is not exactly banking at a medal in the all-around where he will also be in action in the other apparatuses in the rings, horizontal bar, and pommel horse after finishing at 49th, 27th, and 40th respectively in the qualifiers.
Yulo was at second, sixth, and 19th in the floor exercise, vault, and parallel bars respectively.
Among the top contenders for a medal in the all-around are reigning champion Daiki Hashimoto of Japan, Ruoteng Xiao of China, and Zhang Boheng of China.
Meanwhile, Paalam, unranked in the boxing tournament, will look to advance and move one win away from a podium finish. The winner of the Paalam-Gallagher bout will face either No. 4 Charlie Senior of Australia or Vasile Usturoi of Belgium in the quarterfinals.
An upset win by Bacyadan will move her one win away from reaching the medal rounds.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
