PARIS, France (AFP) — Carlos Yulo shrugged off a sleepless night to win gymnastics gold medal in the men’s vault of the Paris Olympics on Sunday, 24 hours after claiming the floor title for a piece of Philippines sporting history.

“It’s crazy because last night I couldn’t sleep. I was so hyped because I had won that gold medal on floor,” the 24-year-old Yulo said.

“It still didn’t sink in. This morning I was so sleepy, I didn’t know what to do.”

Armenia’s Artur Davtyan took silver with Britain’s Harry Hepworth just denying his compatriot and vault world champion Jake Jarman for the bronze.

Prior to Yulo’s heroics in Paris, the Philippines had only ever won one gold medal in the Olympics.

He singlehandedly tripled that tally over one weekend with two stunning performances.

“I was just hoping to perform well (today). I didn’t really expect a medal. It really felt like a bonus for me,” he smiled, adding that he had grabbed some shut eye whenever he got the chance before the final.

“I slept in the bus, I slept after the podium training. I slept before going to the competition area. I kind of was napping for 15 to 20 minutes. I felt good after that and I just went for it.”

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion said Yulo opted to rest and recuperate in Paris following a grueling campaign that started with a training camp in Metz on 29 June.

She said Yulo is set to check out of the Athletes Village to transfer to a hotel in downtown Paris. Then, he will enjoy the City of Light and visit Disneyland together with his girlfriend, Melbourne-based content creator Chloe San Jose.

They are set to go home on 12 August together with the rest of the national delegation headed by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

“They want to go to Disneyland,” Carrion told DAILY TRIBUNE in a telephone conversation.

“He needs to rest and relax because he’s going to be very busy the moment he arrives in Manila with all the interviews and appearances, which are all normal because he’s now an Olympic champion.”

Yulo said he still couldn’t believe his fortune of winning two gold medals — and multi-million cash incentives made sweeter by a three-bedroom condominium unit worth P32 million with P3-million cash bonus.

“I still couldn’t believe it,” he said in an interview from the French capital.

“Ma’m Cynthia knows the ups and downs I had until I competed in my first Olympic in Tokyo. This is my time. I gave my heart out here and I thank God that he heard my prayer.”

On the crest of a wave after Saturday’s floor title, Yulo leapt to the top of the leaderboard at the midway stage of the eight-man vault final.

His average from his two vaults gave him a score of 15.116.

Davtyan went last and nailed silver ahead of Olympic debutant Hepworth, whose bronze was Britain’s first Olympic medal in the men’s vault.

Yulo, who prevailed by 0.150 points, punched the air after executing a superb piked double front half-out move with only a small hop on landing that helped lift him to the top of the podium for the second time in a day.

Davtyan was left with a bitter-sweet taste after going so close to gold.

“I am a little bit disappointed because I wanted the gold medal. But I have the silver, I’m glad for that” he said.

Hepworth, meanwhile, disclosed he was planning an extravagant evening’s entertainment to mark his bronze.

“I will have a full pizza in the Olympic Village. That’s how I will celebrate” he laughed.

Honorable mention must go to Mahdi Olfati, representing Iran in the men’s vault final for the first time in 60 years, and who finished last but one.