Golden age beckons

Following the debacle that was Gilas Pilipinas’ recent FIBA Word Cup stint, Philippine sports’ lost pride was restored after gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxer Nesthy Petecio scored back-to-back victories on the international stage.

Yulo may be small in size but not in heart, skill and determination as he wrote history by being the first Filipino gymnast to become a world champion.

Showing poise and showcasing his talent, Yulo won the men’s floor exercise gold medal at the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Germany. Along with it, he also secured a spot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He joins pole vaulter Ernest Obiena who had earlier already qualified for the quadrennial meet.

Filipina’s will

Petecio, just hours after Yulo’s win, epitomized what girl power is all about as she overcame her opponent’s hometown advantage and bagged the featherweight division gold medal in the 2019 Aiba Women’s World Boxing Championships in Russia.

After falling short of snatching the pennant in several previous international competitions, Petecio finally tasted what it feels like to be on top of the world.

Truly, with Yulo and Petecio among those the Philippines is pinning its championship hopes on when the 30th Southeast Asian Games roll in a few weeks from now, Filipinos may just see more golden moments flash before their eyes.