Castañeda: We hit the jackpot

For Aldrin Castañeda, seeing Carlos Yulo win a pair of gold medals in the Paris Olympics is like hitting the jackpot.

The seasoned national team mentor said all they were praying for was just one gold medal but luck rolled their way and Yulo won two that completely changed his life and the course of Philippine sports history forever.

Castañeda and Yulo were part of the big delegation that landed at the Villamor Airbase on Tuesday night.

They were showered with love and adulation, especially from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, who opened the doors of Malacañang for a state dinner and distribution of cash incentives.

Yulo, for one, was also conferred with a Presidential Merit Award, a prestigious honor that was also given to other distinguished sportsmen like weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in 2021, professional boxer Manny Pacquiao in 2003, and bowler Paeng Nepomuceno in 1984.

Castañeda admitted that Yulo broke down in tears the moment he became an Olympic gold medalist after winning the floor exercise and, later on, vault apparatus.

“He broke down in tears when he won his first gold. We really didn’t expect it,” Castañeda, who is also Yulo’s coach in the junior ranks before Japanese mentor Munehiro Kugimiya took over and turned him into an international gymnastics powerhouse that he is today.

“I told myself that we’re good with just one. But God was so good that he gave us another one. It was really a jackpot. Winning two gold medals is really a blessing.”

For his feat, Yulo pocketed P20 million from President Marcos on top of the P20 million cash incentive from the Philippine Sports Commission in accordance to the Republic Act 10699 or the Athletes and Coaches Incentives Act.

Aside from that, he also received cash incentives and other rewards from the private sector, including real estate giant Megaworld that showed him his three-bedroom condominium unit worth P32 million with P3 million in cash on Wednesday.

Castañeda, meanwhile, also stands to receive a cash incentive which — according to the Republic Act 10699 — amounts to P10 million or half of what Yulo will be getting.

He admitted that it’s a good amount but he’s not yet in the mood to celebrate.

“It’s a really huge amount but it’s not yet in my hands so it’s really hard to say whether it’s true or not,” Castañeda said, gently rubbing his eyes to make sure that everything isn’t part of a wonderful dream.

“I still don’t know how I am going to spend it. I’m just so happy that we made it.”