Golden Boy: Carlos Yulo Wins First Olympic Gold for PH Gymnastics

(SPOT.ph) Carlos Yulo, the 24-year-old Filipino gymnast, just made history Saturday at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Yulo dominated the men’s floor exercise final to secure the first gold medal for the Philippines in the XXXIII Olympiad. It is also the second time a Filipino won a gold medal in the Olympics, following weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s one shining moment in 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.

“Yulo earned a 15.000 after he stuck his three-and-a-half twist dismount cold. Savoring the moment on the podium, he pumped both his fists before presenting the judges, later saluting the fans in the audience and putting his hands to his heart,” reported Scott Bergman in the official Olympics website.

Yulo, now the first male athlete ever to win gold for the Philippines at the Olympics, was in tears after his historic triumph, his face in clear disbelief. It was the elusive gold the boy they call Caloy has always yearned for—"Babawi ako," he said in 2021 after the heartbreak that was the Tokyo Olympics where he only made it to 44th overall in the individual all-around. "Next time po iga-grab ko na talaga. Ayoko na lang na basta sumali ako, na-feel ko po na kaya ko rin maging katulad ng mga nakatayo doon po sa top," he said.

And now the gold is in his hands, inspiring pride among fellow Filipinos back home, and his fans in Paris’ Bercy Arena where the exhibition took place. His most important win before this was at the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships where he won gold for the floor exercise.

Celebrate all you want now but Yulo’s Olympics 2024 journey isn’t over yet. His finals is due Sunday for which he can still score another triumph. Win or lose, though—but we’re hoping for another win, of course—the kid’s name is now part of Olympics history.

Congratulations, Caloy!

Also read: Meet The Filipino Athletes at the 2024 Olympics