Carlos Yulo made everything moot and academic.
For delivering a historic performance in the Paris Olympics last August, Yulo emerged as the 2024 Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association in its Annual Awards Night on 27 January at the grand ballroom of the Manila Hotel.
The 24-year-old gymnast scored the rare double gold by topping the men’s floor exercise and vault, respectively, leading the country to a feat that was never done before in the annals of the Summer Olympics.
His triumph was a fitting follow up to weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s feat that ended the country’s search for its first Olympic gold during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Ironically, it was in the same Japanese capital where the gymnast from Leveriza, Manila had his first taste of Olympic competitions, eventually only qualifying in the men’s vault final and falling short of a podium finish.
“To tell you honestly, I was at a point that I wanted to just simply vanish. I nearly took my own life,” Yulo said a few weeks completing his historic run.
“But I prayed until I fell asleep. After that, I felt at ease and the following day, my feeling was lighter. That’s how my faith in God started. I carried that until the Olympics and I believe that all the challenges He gave me would lead to good results.”
“I learned to be grateful and be thankful to all the things He has given me. That’s why I often cry whenever I say during interviews that I give everything to Him. Through His grace, we made it.”
Four years later, Yulo was back with vengeance in his eyes.
After a disappointing finish in the floor exercise in the Tokyo Games, Yulo emerged on top of his pet event by compiling a scoring total of 15.000 points, beating reigning champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel (14.966) for the Philippines’ first gold in Paris.
The euphoria of becoming the first Filipino gymnast to win an Olympic gold has yet to die down when Yulo added another mint to his collection by ruling the men’s vault final with a 15.116 total over Arthur Davtyan of Armenia (14.966).
By rewriting history, Yulo lined himself up as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Filipino athletes of all time.
He became the first gymnast since young Pia Adelle Reyes in 1997 to be recognized as Athlete of the Year by the country’s oldest media organization in its traditional gala night backed by San Miguel Corporation and co-presented by ArenaPlus, Cignal, and MediaQuest.
“From a great Olympic performance to an even greater Olympic show, and from one big breakthrough to an even bigger breakthrough — thanks to Carlos Yulo whose giant feat we will celebrate in handling him our highest accolades,” PSA president Nelson Beltran said of recognizing the Filipino gymnast with the highest individual honor by the country’s sportswriting community.
Aside from the Athlete of the Year, several awards are also lined up during the formal presentation where the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, PLDT/Smart, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, and Januarius Holdings serve as major sponsors with the support from the PBA, PVL, 1-Pacman Party List, AcroCity, Rain or Shine and Akari.
The NSA of the Year, Major Awardees in other sports, President’s Award, Executive of the Year, Citations, Tony Siddayao Awards, as well as the Hall of Fame and Special Recognition to Filipino Olympians — the Paris Olympics and Paralympics included — will be handed out in the event recognizing the best in Philippines sports for the year 2024.
The NSA of the Year, Major Awardees in other sports, President’s Award, Executive of the Year, Citations, Tony Siddayao Awards, as well as the Hall of Fame and Special Recognition to Filipino Olympians — the Paris Olympics and Paralympics included — will be handed out in the event recognizing the best in Philippines sports for the year 2024.
