Who is Olympic gold winner Carlos Yulo?

Carlos Yulo, a Filipino gymnast, is the Philippines' second Olympic gold medalist after ruling the men's floor exercise finals in the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday.

He followed weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz who won the country's first Olympic gold back in Tokyo 2020 three years ago.

A 24-year old gymnast from Manila, the Paris Games is Yulo's second Olympic appearance as he also competed in Tokyo.

Here are some of his major achievements:

• Gold: 2024 Paris Olympics (floor); 2019 World Championships (floor); 2021 World Championships (vault); 2022 Asian Championships (floor, vault, parallel bars); 2023 Asian Championships (floor, vault, parallel bars); 2024 Asian Championships (all-around, floor, vault, parallel bars)' 2019 SEA Games (all-around, floor)' 2021 SEA Games (floor, still rings, all-around, vault, horizontal bars); 2023 SEA Games (all-around, parallel bars); 2024 FIG World Cup - Doha leg (parallel bars); 2023 FIG World Cup - Baku leg (vault, parallel bars); 2023 FIG World Cup - Doha leg (floor)
• Silver: 2021 World Championships (parallel bars); 2022 World Championships (vault); 2022 Asian Championships (all-around); 2023 Asian Championships (all-around); 2019 SEA Games (pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, horizontal bars); 2021 SEA Games (team, parallel bars); 2023 SEA Games (team, still rings); 2024 FIG World Cup - Doha leg (vault); 2023 FIG World Cup - Doha leg (parallel bars)
• Bronze: 2018 World Championships (floor); 2022 World Championships (parallel bars); 2023 Asian Championships (horizontal bar); 2024 FIG World Cup - Doha leg (floor); 2023 FIG World Cup - Doha leg (vault); 2023 FIG World Cup - Cottbus leg (parallel bars)

READ MORE | Carlos Yulo goes all-around this time around in Paris Olympics

From the grassroots

Yulo has been dominating the sports scene for more than five years now since he got one of his first international medals in the 2018 World Championships where he claimed bronze in floor exercise.

A grassroots product of Manila, Yulo eventually qualified for the Tokyo Olympics as he won the gold in the World Championships for floor exercise the year after. In the Southeast Asian Games in Manila, Yulo won two gold medals in team and floor exercise, and five silver medals from the other apparatus: pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bars.

In the Tokyo Olympics, Yulo missed the floor exercise finals, but qualified in the vault finals where he fell just short -- 0.017 points short of a bronze medal.

After his Tokyo stint, Yulo continued to rake in medals for the Philippines, notable of which are: his World Championships gold medal for vault in 2021, 10 gold medals in three editions of the Asian Championships, and seven gold medals in the Hanoi and Cambodia editions of the Southeast Asian Games.

What happened after Tokyo

However, things became slightly different after the Tokyo Games.

While Yulo tried to excel as well in other apparatuses, a major change happened when he parted ways with former Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya. He is now training with Filipino coach Aldrin Castañeda.

Still, Yulo said he is grateful to Kugimiya.

"Siya po talaga 'yung nakakakita ng potential ko. Sobrang thankful po ako sa taong 'yun, sobrang talino. Na-provide niya po lahat ng needs nung nandun ako sa Japan," Yulo said in JP Soriano's 24 Oras interview last April.

Aside from a coaching change, Yulo previously said he plans to excel in the all-around event.

"Ang goal ko rin po kasi sa Olympics, maka-individual all-around. Hindi lang floor, hindi lang vault, hindi lang p-bar," he said.

Indeed, come Paris, he excelled in the individual all-around as he also qualified for its finals where he finished 12th.

However, not all is over for Yulo as he still has to compete in the vault finals on Sunday.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News