Carlos Yulo shares the story behind his reliable baonan in Olympic gymnastics

While Carlos Yulo was impressing the audience in the gymnastics event of the 2024 Paris Olympics, some eagle-eyed viewers were amused with one thing the gymnast was holding on the sidelines: a small plastic container.

The plastic storage contains the powder he is using for the tournament.

Some posts on X (formerly Twitter) related how his small baonan brought back memories of their childhood or is a very Filipino habit.

Apparently, it was a habit he got from Japan.

"Sa Japan po kasi 'pag nagko-compete po kami, ['yun] po talaga. Sa kanila, malaki pa po," Yulo told Philippine Olympic Committee media, including GMA Integrated News' JP Soriano, after the all-around finals where he finished 12th overall.

(When we compete in Japan, we really use it.)

Yulo previously trained in Japan as he was formerly under head coach Munehiro Kugimiya. Now, he is under head coach Aldrin Castañeda.  

"Mag-isa lang naman ako so hindi ko kailangan ng ganoong kalaki. Gusto ko compact and handy kaya 'yun ang napili ko," Yulo added.

(Since I'm alone, I do not need a big container. I want something compact and handy that's why I chose it.)

Yulo may have missed out on the podium in the all-around finals but he will still return, perhaps still with his reliable baonan, in the floor exercise finals and vault finals this weekend.

—with reports from JP Soriano/JKC, GMA Integrated News