Carlos Yulo's Spring, Also an Elite Men's Gymnast

The lighting of the Indonesia Arena Stadium in Jakarta is bright and evenly distributed. However, from the spectators' stands, the light seems to focus only on one side of the field. That side aligns with the position of the Filipino artistic gymnast, Carlos Yulo, who consistently attracts gravity like the sun in the solar system. Wherever Yulo moves, the audience follows.

Such was the scene inside the Indonesia Arena on the first day of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championship, Sunday (19/10/2025). Although Yulo performed in the last subdivision of the day, after 8:00 PM, hundreds of spectators remained eagerly waiting. They wanted to witness the prowess of the two-time gold medalist from the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The wait has been fully rewarded. Yulo performed brilliantly in the qualifying round. He concluded the series in the table jump event with the highest score of 14.750. After the acrobatic move, the audience erupted in cheers. Yulo responded with a wave of his hand to the stands. Five other gymnasts performing on different apparatus seemed to become mere background figures.

Yulo's arrival is a blessing for the host. He has become the biggest attraction at this World Championship. Interestingly, the 25-year-old athlete comes in less than optimal condition, currently suffering from a wrist injury. He still wishes to compete even though this event does not count towards the qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Yulo has been training more and preparing himself after the Paris Olympics. He is waiting for the right moment to return to competition. The World Championship, the largest event after the Olympics, is considered the most suitable. "Unlike before, I am now very selective about competitions to maintain my physical and mental well-being," he said.

Coincidentally, the annual event is being held for the first time in Southeast Asia. As a representative of Southeast Asia, Yulo feels a stronger connection. He wants to help demonstrate that the countries in the region are capable of successfully hosting an event as significant as the World Championship. If Indonesia succeeds, the Philippines will be positively influenced.

Yulo's trail is followed by other elite male gymnasts. The gold medalist in six out of eight events at the Paris Olympics has arrived in Jakarta. In addition to Yulo, there is also Shinnosuke Oka (Japan) and Zou Jingyuan (China). A contrasting situation occurs in the women's sector, with only one gold medalist from Paris attending, namely Kaylia Nemour (Algeria).

As a result, fierce competition and outstanding performances were showcased in the men's sector since the qualifying round. On Monday afternoon, it was Zou's turn to astonish the entire Indonesia Arena with his performance in his favorite event, the parallel bars. Zou advanced to the final with the highest score in the qualifying round of 15.466, overtaking Oka's position of 14.533.

Zou, like Yulo, went through an adjustment period after the Olympics. The World Championship was used as a platform to restart the journey towards the next Olympics. He wanted to assess his abilities after being absent from competition for more than a year. The assessment would be very comprehensive as his rivals were also present.

At the same time, Zou also arrived with greater motivation. The 27-year-old gymnast had previously performed in Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Games. However, she did not have the opportunity to enjoy the city due to a very tight schedule. "This time feels different. I want to experience a greater cultural awareness about the city, the streets, and the traffic," she stated.

Mutualistic symbiosis is also strongly established in the Indonesia Arena. Elite gymnasts need a stage to measure themselves and restart their programs for the next Olympics. Meanwhile, the World Championship also requires star figures to attract the attention of spectators.

Behind both sides, Indonesian gymnasts do not want to be left behind. They not only have the opportunity to make their debut at the World Championships but also to learn directly by observing the habits of the best gymnasts on Earth. Tri Wira Yudha, one of them, sees this event as an opportunity to gain knowledge.

Tri idolizes Oka and Felix Dolci (Canada). He keeps an eye out for them when he meets them in training sessions. "I think they're good. So I watch their technique and try to learn how they warm up. It's all a new lesson for me," said Tri, who is ranked 49th in the vault.

The competition has been lively in the qualifiers, but it is still far from its climax. The real battle among the elite gymnasts will only be presented in the finals. Take the floor exercise, for example. Yulo is challenged by the British gymnast, Jake Jarman, who is a bronze medalist from the Paris Olympics. Jarman (14.700) outperformed Yulo (14.566) in the qualifiers.

Artur Davtyan, an Armenian gymnast, is on a mission for revenge after losing the gold in Paris to Yulo. Davtyan, who secured a silver medal at the Paris Olympics on the vault, is set to challenge Yulo again in the upcoming final. Notably, Davtyan (14.566) finished in second place, narrowly trailing behind Yulo (14.750) in the qualifications.

The Yulo spring season and the elite male gymnasts have begun to unfold. Unfortunately, the host representatives were unable to participate in the excitement of the competition. Indonesia failed to send a representative to the finals. A total of four gymnasts competed but did not make it to the top 24 overall or the top eight in apparatus events.