Nearly a year had passed and gymnast Carlos Yulo still never forgets how Japan had molded him from being an ordinary athlete into an Olympic gold medalist — twice.
The historic victory was the result of years of unrelenting training in Japan, where he honed his craft under Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya’s watchful eye.
In a land where discipline is second nature, Yulo became a world-class athlete — and the best Filipino Olympian ever — who would etch history in the Summer Games.
“I wouldn’t have achieved this level if it weren’t for my coach. He assisted me in creating a plan, how to train, and also assisted me in school. I am so grateful and thankful to him,” Yulo said.
Japan was instrumental in forging Yulo’s fate.
A scholarship granted by the Japan Gymnastics Association and the Japan Olympic Committee allowed him to train in the country of Olympic champions, where he learned to live by a culture of excellence.
The 4-foot-11 dynamo, who hails from the streets of Leveriza in Manila, was also given access to train at the Ajinomoto National Training Center in Tokyo, where elite Japanese athletes and para-athletes hone their craft.
Yulo also enrolled in Teikyo University, where he graduated in 2022 with a degree in Literature, while he stayed in Kugimiya’s apartment in the Japanese capital to make sure he wouldn’t miss a beat in both his training and academics.
“Once the Tokyo Olympics was finished, Carlos and I promised each other that if we won gold in Paris, we would take our gold medals to meet all the people who have supported us,” the soft-spoken Japanese mentor said in a previous statement.
“He doesn’t need to be with me, but I hope he will undertake this greeting tour with his two gold medals.”
Yulo and Kugimiya’s partnership reaped immense awards as the Filipino gymnast became a two-time world champion in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in 2019 and 2021. He also emerged as a 10-time gold medalist in the Asian Championships and won nine golds in the Southeast Asian Games.
Despite Yulo and Kugimiya parting ways in 2023 due to personal differences, Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion said they still stuck with the Japanese mentor’s game plan in the Summer Games.
“We just continued doing what we’re doing, motivating everybody and then making sure that we’re doing the right thing and having a team for full support,” said Carrion, who assigned Yulo’s former coach, Aldrin Castañeda, to call the shots for the gymnast during the Paris Games.
The effect of his training in Japan extended beyond his technical abilities. His mental toughness, discipline, and relentless drive for excellence were honed in Japan’s harsh but rewarding climate.
Now, GAP is also preparing other young Filipino gymnasts, including Yulo’s younger brother Eldrew, for major international events by sending them to Japan.
“It delights me to hear that it was in Japan where Carlos continued to sharpen his mind and body to be a champion, with a scholarship that aided him in his path to victory,” Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya said as he gave Yulo with the Ambassador’s Award last October.
As he continues to be an excellent example of our nation’s people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Japan is very proud to have contributed to molding him into the best he could be and into one of the greatest athletes the sport has ever known.
Yulo’s Olympic triumph serves as a reminder that Filipinos don’t just achieve greatness on their own but also through the bonds and friendship they have with other countries — especially with Japan.