Even in triumph, Carrion sets sights forward
The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) was named National Sports Association of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night for the second straight year—a run fueled by Cynthia Carrion’s refusal to settle.
Carrion has seen the sport’s peaks and pitfalls. That perspective, she said, steadied her through the long climb to the top.
“I really struggled from the beginning to get gold medals, and then we were able to accomplish these medals. Two gold medals in the Olympics is a big accomplishment,” the GAP president said late Monday at Diamond Hotel.
She was referring to Carlos Yulo’s historic double gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a breakthrough that made Philippine gymnastics relevant again.
Next stop: LA
Last year, GAP hosted the 2025 Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Manila, drawing praise from delegations.
“The wonderful thing about the Junior World Championship is, according to everybody who competed, it was the best thing they ever experienced. The whole thing,” she said.
The back-to-back citations, though, are already tucked away in her cabinet. Carrion’s gaze is fixed forward.
Much of that future rests on Carlos’ younger brother, Karl Eldrew Yulo.
The goal is clear: send another Yulo—another Filipino—to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Carrion believes that path begins now.
“Eldrew is going to Azerbaijan, then we’re going to Turkey. We’re going to all the World competitions to qualify for the Olympics,” she said shortly before receiving her award.
“It starts this year. It’ll continue next year. We have to win about 90 percent of those to qualify.”
In his first—and last—Junior Worlds appearance on home soil, Karl Eldrew captured two bronze medals, in the horizontal bar and floor exercise.
He did it on a sprained ankle.
That grit thrilled Carrion, but it also worried her.
“I just hope that Eldrew doesn’t get injured. He gets injured because he’s very active. Take it slow, I tell him sometimes. I don’t want him to get hurt. He’s very great.”
