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Carlos Yulo Takes a Leap Forward
The two-time gold medalist reflects on his wins, near-misses, and life after his Olympic triumphs in Paris 2024.
Published Dec 13, 2024
The history-making Filipino gymnast stands strong after leaping his way to gold.
It was a quieter Olympics than most in Tokyo 2020 (which is to say, technically 2021) as pandemic restrictions muffled the cheers from the usual crowd while the world’s elite athletes made history on a mat. The mind of Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo, however, was buzzing loudly.
The then-21-year-old catapulted onto the vault during the final round of the men’s Artistic Gymnastics event. After staring at the apparatus with laser-focused eyes and running towards the vault in search of momentum, he landed the first try with his right foot outside the mat, a millisecond at best—but as most athletes know, a millisecond could determine all the difference. The succeeding attempts were stellar and near-perfect, but the event’s scoreboard flashed. In the end, Carlos’ name was placed in the fourth spot.
“Nakaka-frustrate po kasi konti na lang eh,” Carlos recalls, three years later after the event took place. “Pero hindi pa rin, 'di pa rin naabot.”
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The fourth place may just be the most harrowing spot for an athlete, a breadth away from the podium that they have strived their whole lives to stand on. Nonetheless, Carlos, as always, beamed his easy-going smile when he saw his score. “Looking back, 'di pa po ako buo siguro,” he tells us now. “'Yung goal setting, mindset, feeling ko amateur pa talaga 'yung energy ko na nabibigay.”
Three years on, Carlos, now 24, stood on the corner of another mat in Paris for the floor exercise finals. The seats are filled with a crowd of onlookers and the hall is boisterous when gymnasts deliver a good landing—a far difference from Carlos’ previous Olympic cycle. His coach, Aldrin Castañeda, stood on the sidelines as Carlos propelled himself, spinning his body in mid-air with a three-and-a-half twist, which concluded with a landing that had definitely stuck, as the audience and those outside France burst in awe.
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As everyone knows by now, history was made. With a 15.000 score, Carlos Yulo won a gold medal, the first for the Philippines for a male athlete. But it was, of course, simply the beginning of what would transpire.
Renzo Navarro
Carlos Yulo for Preview December 2024
Gold Rush
“That time, hindi rin po ako makatulog. I’ll be honest, sobrang kabado po talaga ako before 'yung floor, 'yung final. Sobrang takot na takot ako.” It was months later after the 2024 Paris Olympics when Carlos reflected on the moments leading up to his history-making event to Preview. Carlos, in the present, has a more relaxed demeanor when he describes how he visibly shook from nervousness in Paris. Before the finals, the gymnast recalls sneaking 15-minute naps en route to the next destination at the Games, with the overwhelming feeling following him across his rigorous schedule.
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It all paid off after his eventual win at the Artistic Gymnastics’ floor finals that day, where he placed gold, followed by Artem Dolgopyat of Israel’s silver and Jake Jarman of Great Britain’s bronze. The winning feeling still pervaded for Carlos once the evening set in. The Olympic gold medal, he bemusedly remembers, laid right beside him when he attempted his shut-eye on the first night. “'Pag pumipikit ako, naiisip ko 'yung gold medal ko. Long-time dream [ko ito].”
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But a new day was calling him, and Carlos had another event scheduled to compete. With four hours’ worth of sleep and yesterday’s quick celebrations in the rearview, Carlos got back to work for the vault finals—the same event that had caused him a fourth-place spot in Tokyo.
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“At that time, [iniisip ko na lang,] ‘Sana magiging safe lang ako.’ Wala talaga akong ine-expect 'nung nag-compete na ako,” Carlos reflects.
And yet, he reigned once again. For the Paris Games’ men’s vault finals, the gymnast catapulted with a piked Dragulescu for his first vault, which landed him a 15.116 average score. This, eventually, earned him another gold medal under his belt, with Armenia’s Artur Davtyan and Great Britain’s Harry Hepworth coming in for silver and bronze, respectively. With his second win for a second day in a row, Carlos secured his spot in the history books as the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to win the double gold in the Games.
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Carlos of three years ago would be stunned, to say the least, at the figurative–and literal–leaps he had made. While Tokyo’s narrow loss might have been heartbreaking at the moment, it was a pivotal step in hindsight. “Nahirapan din talaga ako na mag-adjust after 'nun kasi medyo low 'yung energy ko after ng Tokyo,” Carlos says, as he admits that it had brought him a few realizations. Losses are as much of a teacher as wins are, arguably even more so. This slice of wisdom had made Carlos more open to learning, tapping into his younger self, and continuously being molded into greatness like a budding junior gymnast.
“'Yung nagbago talaga, palagi ako naging curious. Sa practice, sa laro, parehas lang 'yung intensity na binibigay ko,” Carlos adds. “Hindi nagma-matter kung matalo or manalo ako. Importante, may nakuha ako palagi na aral sa mga naging experience ko sa mga competition.”
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Leading up to Paris 2024, Carlos was an athlete anew. With new experiences in tow, the gymnast bagged medals at the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Championships, and the World Championships, and then, onto the French capital for the Olympiad. While the rigid discipline known to Olympians would seemingly always be embedded into Carlos’ nature, he had learned another necessity, which was, ironically enough, an element of gymnastics and consequently, life itself: balance.
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“Na-realize ko na kailangan ko ibahin 'yung pananaw ko sa buhay. Hindi lang puro gymnastics,” he says. “Kailangan ko bigyan 'yung sarili ko ng time at effort na mahalin din 'yung loss ko and tanggapin 'yung kakayahan ko at that time.”
The process, made every day in steps that were little by little, was history in the making. “Sobrang grateful ako na naranasan ko 'yung ganong pagkatalo,” he muses now. “Para bumangon, nagkaroon ako ng mas matinding apoy para ituloy 'yung laban ko sa buhay.”
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“Para bumangon, nagkaroon ako ng mas matinding apoy para ituloy 'yung laban ko sa buhay.”
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A Champion in the Making
After he had cemented his double-gold achievement in Paris, back home, Filipinos were also abuzz. In between businesses’ pledges of lifetime supplies of anything under the sun, timelines were filled with throwbacks of the young Carlos, including snapshots and videos of his beginnings, years before he placed his country on gymnastics map.
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As a seven-year-old in Manila, Carlos and his friends were keen on tricks and stunts that transpired in a playground in Malate situated beside Manila Zoo. Little did they know, they were executing burgeoning skills already akin to gymnastics. His father’s friend suggested they take up the sport, while they had no inclination as to exactly what it was in the first place. “'Yung una, laro-laro lang po talaga,” he says. “Syempre, para sa bata, gusto mo lang makatuto talaga ng mga tricks, tumblings. Feeling ko kasi, pag nagagawa ko siya, ang cool para sa akin.”
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To find an outlet for the colossal energy bottled up in these kids, Carlos’ grandfather had taken them to Rizal Memorial Coliseum, where the future athlete’s foray into gymnastics would begin. He and his friends would catch the eye of the head of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP), and after bouts of training and classes, a young Carlos would advance to national competitions, representing Manila at the Palarong Pambansa.
It was in 2012, however, when his dreams of Olympic glory fully formed, upon witnessing Japan’s Kohei Uchimura on TV. In London, the Japanese athlete earned gold for the individual all-around event. Carlos, in awe, notes the seven-time Olympic medalist’s clean moves and the skills needed behind them. “Sobra talaga akong na-inspire. Sabi ko sa sarili ko na, ‘Pagdating ng panahon, makakapag-Olympics din ako.’”
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At the age of 16, Carlos took his next steps in the homeland of the revered gymnast. In Japan, the young gymnast would be taken under the wing of his then-coach, Munehiro Kugimiya. “'Nung junior ako, [playing] safe lang din naman ako. Hindi ako mahilig mag-try ng bago,” Carlos admits. “Dahil sa coach ko, nahubog niya ako sa disciplina, sa mindset.”
He credits his mentors, such as GAP president Cynthia Carrion, as those who have uplifted him in the sport and all the struggles that came with it. “Masasabi kong sila 'yung tumayo din na magulang ko,” he says.
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Much of Carlos’ training in gymnastics transpired in Japan, and his mentors were the first to bestow him the lessons of independence in living in a foreign land. Carlos had adapted to the culture, learned the language, and noticed the stark differences in training between the two countries. While the Philippines brims with the potential of Filipinos, resources and facilities still have a long way to go, prompting athletes like him to seek them elsewhere.
“Malayo pa po talaga,” Carlos says, regarding the state of the Philippines’ resources for athletes. “But we have really good potential, especially mga kids sa Pilipinas. They just have to elevate 'yung coaching system, i-elevate 'yung facilities, i-elevate 'yung knowledge na mapalaganap sa buong country.”
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For one, children like him weren’t familiar with gymnastics beforehand, as it wasn’t a sport widely taught in many local schools. The advancement of resources in the country may “take a really long time,” as Carlos thinks, but at least, he seems to have sparked change, as the sport has gained momentum and exposure through his wins.
The training of young budding athletes, similar to the boy who once romped around a playground, is one passion project that Carlos is considering in his post-athletic career. While his focus is still on himself as an athlete, he hopes to pay it forward, just like what his mentors did to him. “Siguro 'yung path ko, naka-align talaga sa pag-turo ng bata, na ma-share 'yung knowledge ko at 'yung naging experience ko sa Olympics sa kung sino talaga willing matuto para sa tinatahak nila na journey.”
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“Kailangan ko bigyan ang sarili ng time at effort na mahalin 'yung mga losses and tanggapin ang kakayahan ko.”
Renzo Navarro
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But today, the regular programming remains. If the illustrious podium finish was a crystal-clear goal for him during Paris 2024, the objective for the next cycle—and eventually, Los Angeles 2028—was a curious subject. In the training space, where he is obligated to be most of the time, Carlos has a steady motivation in place, which is needed for any athlete. “Kailangan talagang meron kang pinanghahawakan na sobrang bigat na, kahit ayaw mo mag-practice kasi tinatamad ka, hindi mo pipiliin hindi pumunta o hindi gumalaw.”
With this, abstract dreams were a necessary inspiration, but it’s also vital to stay grounded among his supporters, such as his partner, content creator Chloe San Jose, who Carlos considers as one of his motivations. “'Yung mga tao na sumusuporta sa akin, ayaw ko sila i-let down,” he says. “Binibigay nila 'yung best nila para masuportahan ako. Ako din, kailangan kong ibigay 'yung best ko, and ayun ang ‘thank you’ ko para sa kanila.”
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Life After Gold
There’s likely not a day that Carlos doesn’t get stopped for a quick photo as he passes by, now that his name and likeness have cemented in people’s consciousness for the country and the world to see. The word “glory” often comes with “fame,” and months later after his performance in the Olympics, Carlos had witnessed this—both the good and bad sides of it.
“May mga masasabi pa rin po 'yung iba, kahit maganda 'yung gawin ko o hindi maganda 'yung gawin ko,” he says, as he reflects on the public scrutiny that he has been subjected to in the past few months. “Para sa akin, kilala ko 'yung sarili ko. Alam ko 'yung naging journey ko. Alam ko na wala akong ginagawang masama. 'Di ako nananapak ng pagkatao or naninira ng dignidad.”
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It’s easy to get lost in the cesspool of gossip, but Carlos, steady as ever, seems to stand his ground amid the current. “Hindi naman po sa wala akong pakialam,” he clarifies, “pero kung hindi nagre-resonate sa sinasabi mo [tungkol sa] paguugali ko, ini-ignore ko nalang sila.”
He is an athlete, after all, and he has a long list of things to fixate on rather than what bystanders have to say. The next cycle of competitions would be on the horizon before he knew it, and he stresses that it was “back to zero” at that point, regardless of the two gold medals that have now graced his neck. While there were different expectations on the public’s part with his previous wins, it was once again a balancing act. “'Di naman din po ako takot matalo sa mga susunod kong laban. Hindi porke’t hindi mo nagawa today, hindi mo na magagawa next day. Hindi porke’t nagawa mo today, magagawa mo siya next day,” he explains. “Pero gusto ko rin na mapaalagaan 'yung naging title ko and ma-sustain 'yung quality ng performance. Sobrang hirap po siguro ang magiging journey ko this time.”
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And then, the two-word phrase pops up in the conversation, which already often follows athletes: “hard work.” There’s a certain “sadness” implied to it, Carlos says, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. The phrase connotes the frustration that comes with the journey when athletes “overheat” to reach peak performance, which takes a toll both on their physical and mental health. “At some point, mafru-frustrate ka talaga. But, you have to acknowledge na tao ka lang–napapagod at natatakot,” he notes. “Kailangan mo rin na maging masaya sa proseso.”
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“Alam ko sa sarili 'yung responsibilidad na na-acquire sa pagkapanalo ko.”
Carlos has come a long way from the boy experimenting with stunts in the playground, with a slew of wins, narrow misses, and losses that have imbued his pursuit of the sport. Success and failure are two sides of the same coin that have both afforded him lessons, both in gymnastics and in life. Now, there was a certain responsibility attached to his next path.
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“Mas kailangan ko pagtrabahoan, kasi malaking responsibilidad din 'yung pagkapanalo ko. Hindi ako pwedeng magpabaya. Hindi ako pwedeng tumunganga lang,” he says. “Pwede akong mag-enjoy, pwede akong magsaya. Pero, alam ko sa sarili ko 'yung responsibilidad na na-acquire sa pagkapanalo ko.”
It’s the next leg of the gymnast’s long journey. The life of an athlete can be unpredictable, but as for him, Carlos will stand strong with his intent gaze, moments away from what he always excelled at—taking a leap forward, again and again.
Produced and Styled by the Preview Team
Photographer: Renzo Navarro, assisted by Dom Pamatmat
Creative Director: Bacs Arcebal
Editor-in-Chief: Marj Ramos-Clemente
Production: Katrina Maisie Cabral and Reg Rodriguez
Fashion: Paulina Singh
Beauty Direction: Isha Fojas
Grooming: Ryan Ko
Set and Production Design: Rocketsets
Story: Katrina Maisie Cabral
Video Direction: Jana Jodloman
Videographers: Gelo Aldana, assisted by Miggy Dimaiwat
BTS Photographers: James Jarin and Shermae Gaupo of Studio Torio
Special thanks to Khai Liclican and Team
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