'Golden Boy' Carlos Yulo pays tribute to fellow Pinoy Olympians: 'Dugo’t pawis ‘yung inalay natin'

Carlos Yulo commended the other 21 athletes who bannered the flag during the country's historic run at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"Sa lahat po ng atleta, sobrang proud po ako na pinaglaban po natin, binigay po natin ‘yung best natin sa lahat po," the 24-year-old Filipino gymnast said in his speech at the Malacañang Palace shortly after arriving back in the country on Tuesday night.

"Dugo’t pawis ‘yung inalay natin."

[To all the athletes, I am so proud that we fought and gave our best in everything. It was our blood and sweat that we offered.]

Yulo delivered two gold medals for the nation, reigning supreme in his pet event floor exercise and vault, while two boxers in Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas plucked bronze medals as the country tallied its best Olympic finish in its 100-year history.

But Yulo also credited the other Filipino athletes who may have fallen short of a medal finish yet gave their all for the country, which finished as the best Southeast Asian nation in the second straight edition.

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena and golfer Bianca Pagdanganan both finished just outside of the podium after winding fourth in their respective events.

Boxers Eumir Marcial, Hergie Bacyadan, and Carlo Paalam likewise put up a gallant stand while gymnasts Emma Malabuyo, Aleah Finnegan, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar, first Pinay Olympic rower Joanie Delgaco, and fencer Sam Catantan impressed in their Olympics debuts.

Completing the delegation are John Ceniza, Lauren Hoffman, Elreen Ando, Vanessa Sarno, John Cabang Tolentino, Jarod Hatch, Kayla Sanchez, Kiyomi Watanabe, and Dottie Ardina.

Yulo hopes the country's feat in Paris will serve as fuel for better campaigns in the future.

"Hindi pa nagsisimula ‘yung competition, sobrang proud na proud na ako sa inyong lahat," Yulo added.

"At ngayong tapos na ‘yung competition, i-celebrate natin ‘yung mga nakuha natin resulta at galingan pa natin sa mga susunod na competition."

[Even before the competition started, I was so proud of all of you. And now that it's over, let's celebrate the results we got and let's do even better in the next ones.]

—JMB, GMA Integrated News