CARLOS Yulo and Aira Villegas will carry the Philippine flag in the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Sunday at the Stade De France, as per Philippine Olympic Committee.
Yulo gets the distinction as the male flag bearer after winning two gold medals in the men’s artistic gymnastics, the first Filipino athlete to win multiple medals in a single Olympic edition.
Villegas, meanwhile, is the female flag bearer following her bronze medal in the women’s 51kg in boxing.
Nesthy Petecio, the other bronze medalist of the Philippine delegation, already carried the flag during the opening ceremony at the Seine river banks.
The closing ceremony will feature not only the parade of athletes but also the extinguishing of the Olympic cauldron and the turnover of the Olympic flag to Los Angeles, the next host of the Games.
Yulo will participate in the closing ceremony after missing the opening last July 26 due to the artistic gymnastics competition starting the following the day with the men’s qualifications.
Eventually, Yulo booked a place in the final in three events, winning two in the floor exercise and the vault, becoming the first male to win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines.
By winning two gold medals, Yulo will be receiving P20 million from the government as per the provisions of Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.
Yulo has also received other incentives in kind including a condominium from Megaworld and freebies from different establishments.
Villegas and Petecio, on the other hand, will take home P2 million cash incentives each from the government.
Also participating in the closing ceremony are Petecio and fellow boxers Carlo Paalam, Hergie Bacyadan, and Eumir Marcial, weightlifters Elreen Ando, Vanessa Sarno, and John Ceniza, coaches Mitch Martinez, Reynaldo Galido, Don Abnett, Elmer Pamisa, Ronald Chavez, Christopher Bureros, and Antonio Agustin, boxing official Marcus Jarwin Manalo, and physical therapists Louise Gopez and Bethel Solano.
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