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Paris Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo visits the ABS-CBN Newsroom at the ABS-CBN Compound in Quezon City on August 27, 2024. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA -- Two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo will not be seeing action in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand later this year.
In a text message to ABS-CBN News on Saturday, Gymnastics Association of the Philippines President Cynthia Carrion confirmed Yulo decided not to compete in the biennial showcase.
Carrion said she fully supports Yulo with his decision to sit out the regional meet.
"Confirmed. Yes I do [support his decision]. [He is] giving [a] chance to his teammates," she said.
The GAP president earlier said she believes Yulo can win all the apparatus, following his historic double gold feat at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"Carlos wants to give his teammates [a] chance to win in as much as only one apparatus they can win. And the saddest part is that there is NO TEAM COMPETITION, which is the most exciting. And we have a big chance to win like we did in Vietnam," she added.
Carrion earlier said gymnasts like Yulo are limited to one apparatus in the final of individual events, a new restriction introduced by host nation Thailand. This means a gymnast can join two apparatus but can only win gold in one.
SEA Games restrictions to limit Carlos Yulo to one apparatus: GAP president
Given the restriction, there will also be no individual all-around competition in this year's edition.
In the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, the hosts capped gymnasts to two events each.
Yulo won two gold medals in individual all-around and parallel bars, as well as silver in the team event and still rings. In the 2022 SEA Games in Hanoi, Yulo completed a five-gold medal haul.
Carrion said they will still finalize which gymnast will compete in each apparatus.
"We will have qualification and decide. Carlos himself believes his teammates should make it instead of him," she said.
Filipino gymnast Ivan Cruz is the 2023 SEA Games gold medalist in floor exercise, while Miguel Besana is the reigning gold medalist in vault.
Yulo, Cruz, Besana are in Jakarta, Indonesia for the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships starting October 16.
READ: PH gymnastics chief optimistic Carlos Yulo will strike gold at worlds
Yulo's younger sister Elaiza and fellow Olympians Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo, as well as Haylee Garcia are also representing the flag in the competition.