Even though the LA Olympics are still four years away, Golden Boy Carlos Yulo has begun planning for another medal haul.
The Paris 2024 Olympics concluded less than three weeks ago, but this early double gold medalist Carlos Yulo and his team already have trained their sights on Los Angeles.
Yulo, artistic gymnastics gold medalist in the men’s floor exercise and men’s vault, plans to compete in the 2028 LA Olympics, with the goal of winning a gold medal in the all-around event.
“He wants to win the gold medal for all-around,” said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion during a press conference held Saturday to commemorate the symbolic turnover of Yulo’s five-million-peso cash reward from sponsor Arena Plus.
“When he says all-around that means the six apparatus. And that’s very, very difficult. So he’ll be training very hard. I just pray that he doesn’t get injured. Because once you get injured it’s very difficult. So that’s our prayer that he doesn’t get injured.”
Yulo placed 12th in the men’s all-around final in Paris, with his score in the pommel horse of 11.900 dragging his overall score down to 83.032. Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka won the gold with an overall score of 86.832.
Aside from Yulo’s individual goal, Carrion said they’re hoping the Philippines can also join the team competition in LA.
“The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines has big plans for gymnastics. We want go to the LA 2028 Olympics with a team. And he (Yulo) will be leading the team. Of course, the team is composed of four athletes and one reserve. So we really have to train these other three so that we can win as a team.
“And we have big plans. We’re gonna get a lot of coaches from other places. And we’re gonna be sending him to training camps all over like in England and Korea and Japan and all those places. And that’s where they get more experience.”
Could have been three?
While Yulo’s two-gold haul in Paris made history for the country, Carrion revealed she was hoping for one more.
“I thought he would win three. Because I made tawad, two na lang. But I was hoping for three because his parallel bar is beautiful. If he was in the finals of the parallel bars, he would have at least got silver there. But I’m happy with even one.”
Yulo missed out on the eight-man finals of the parallel bars after placing 19th in the qualification round. Even so, his overall performance propelled into Philippine Olympic history as the first Filipino athlete to win two Olympic gold medals. It was, said Carrion, the end result of the work he put in over the last three years.
“We worked so hard. And I hope you know but he has gone through a lot of challenges. We had to go through a lot of challenges and we were able to overcome all these challenges.”
Yulo said he was glad to have faced all those challenges head on.
“Worth it lahat ng mga challenges na binigay sa akin ng Lord. And super grateful ako na binigyan niya ako ng ganoong opportunity na ma-challenge din yung sarili ko. At syempre maalagaan yung mental health din yung sarili ko.
“Nagpapasalamat din ako kay Lord talaga na binigyan niya ako ng mga taong magmamahal sa akin at susuportaan ako sa mga ganoong events sa buhay ko. Sobrang worth it po talaga na napagdaanan ko yan. Hindi ako sumuko.
“Masaya kong ginagawa yung sport ko. And na-enjoy ko talaga yung moment sa Paris. At syempre yung pagkapanalo talaga.”
The five million-peso reward from Arena Plus is just the latest in what has been a windfall of cash rewards and other gifts in kind showered upon the Olympic hero by a grateful nation.
“Carlos’s victories at the Paris Olympics are not just a personal triumph,” said Eusebio Tanco, chairman of DigiPlus. “They are a beacon of hope and possibility for every aspiring Filipino athlete dreaming of making it, making their mark in the world stage.”
What’s next?
Yulo said the past few weeks have been such a whirlwind for him that he hasn’t given much thought yet to his plans for next year.
“Right now, hindi pa ako nakagawa ng mga plano at all,” he admitted. “Kasi punong-puno rin yung schedule.
“Hindi ko expected talaga na ganito yung mangyayari. Pero pag kumalma na lahat, gusto ko rin magpahinga. And syempre, planuhin ng maayos kung saan ako sasaling mga competitions para makapag-prepare ako ng maayos and healthy.”
He did confirm, though, that he will compete in the 2025 Bangkok Southeast Asian Games, where Carrion has set the bar high. She had previously said she wants Yulo to win eight gold medals in Bangkok, a goal that Yulo sought to temper.
“Feeling ko, depende sa pommel (horse),” said Yulo, a three-time SEA Games all-round gold medalist. “Mahihirapan ako sa pommel kasi magaling yung Vietnam. Hindi ko naman iyan specialty.
“And sa rings, puwede. Sa high (horizontal) bar, depende din. Hindi ako nag-eexpect at all. Gusto ko lang mag-compete and i-try yung nerves ko ulit. Gusto ko lang mag-try nang mag-try. No expectation at all.”
In the meantime, Yulo is headed back to Paris to attend the ongoing Paralympics. It’s a trip he’s been looking forward to, as it will also double as a short vacation.
“Of course, I’m very excited. May kaunting vacation na mangyayari sa akin. Very happy and very blessed.
“At siyempre, makakapanood ako ng Paralympics. First time ko makakapanood ng gano’ng event. Super excited and nilo-look forward ko na makita yung ibang teammates.”
Banner Image from Gelo Salanga.