FOR Carlos Yulo, winning two gold medals in the Paris Olympic Games is just the beginning. He promised to work harder, train better and achieve more as he eyes the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Yulo made the promise Monday night after accepting the Athlete of the Year Award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association, the first time the PSA, the country's oldest media organization, had seen and experienced such a monumental achievement in half a century of handing such award.
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It was one more night of recognition for the 24 year old who shot to international fame and into the national consciousness after winning not one but two gold medals in one Olympics, the first Filipino to achieve the feat.
Fittingly, and humbly, Yulo offered the award to the Filipino people whose hunger for Olympic glory had not been fully satiated after more than a century of participation.
But Yulo made up for this long-awaited time although he would go down as the second athlete to win an Olympic Games gold medal following the victory of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in Tokyo in 2021.
“Salamat po ulit sa mga nagdasal, sa mga nagpuyat. Lahat po ‘yun ay worth it. Sama-sama po ninyo kaming ipagdasal ulit sa darating na 2028 LA Olympics,” said Yulo, during the glittering awards ceremony at the Manila Hotel where the country's top sports officials and other dignitaries attended.
“Ako po si Carlos Yulo at ang panalong ito at panalo nating lahat,” said Yulo, who received the Athlete of the Year trophy from PSA president Nelson Beltran of The Philippine Star.
Yulo thanked the persons instrumental for his victory including girlfriend Chloe San Jose, his fellow Olympians at Paris, and Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion and coach Aldrin Castaneda.
“Gusto ko talagang magpasalamat sa Panginoon sa lahat ng blessings and challenges na binigay Niya sa buhay ko. Lahat ng paghihirap ko, lahat ng pagod, sobrang worthy talaga. Nakamit ko ‘yung tagumpay kasama ‘yung mga mahal ko sa buhay.
“Sa team ko, and, of course, sa napakaganda kong partner, Chloe, maraming, maraming salamat sa pag-aalaga sa mental health. Ma’am Cynthia, maraming, maraming salamat sa pagtitiwala at unang naniwala sa kakayahan ko,” said Yulo.
“Sa mga athletes, Olympians na nakasama ko sa training camp, sobra niyo ako na-motivate. Alam ko yung mga pinagdadahanan niyo. Sobra akong saludo sa mga achievements na na na-achieve natin. Siyempre, kay Coach Aldrin Castaneda, love you po, salamat sa paghubog, sa pang-araw-araw, at sa disiplina at pagsuporta sa gusto ko at pagsuporta sa pagiging atleta,” Yulo said.
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