The Secrets Behind the Philippines’ Two Historic Olympic Gold Medals

The Philippines had never won an Olympic gold medal before 2020. Yet, despite not even finishing in the top three in the last two SEA Games, the nation has now heard its national anthem played three times on the Olympic podium in just three years. At Paris 2024 alone, the Philippines secured two gold medals in two consecutive days—a historic feat made possible by Carlos Yulo.

But how did the Philippines produce an Olympic champion like Carlos Yulo, the kind Southeast Asia had never seen before?

Training in Japan Against All Odds

Carlos Yulo was born in the Philippines in 2000 and began training in gymnastics at the age of seven. Though he did not come from a wealthy family, Yulo was introduced to the sport—long considered a pursuit only for the privileged in the Philippines—while still in elementary school.

According to The Manila Times, Sotero Tejada, then-president of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, pushed to bring the sport into schools, insisting that gymnastics was for everyone, regardless of social status.

The turning point for Yulo came when Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya discovered his talent. The Asahi Shimbun in Japan reported:

“When Yulo first began gymnastics in the Philippines, male gymnasts were extremely rare and training conditions were very poor. Not only was equipment lacking, but even the floors were inadequate. Athletes trained daily in gyms without air conditioning.”

In 2013, amid these tough conditions, Yulo met Kugimiya, who was then coaching the Philippine national team in Manila. Kugimiya immediately recognized the boy’s potential and work ethic.

“Yulo certainly had stronger legs than most, but what impressed me most was his ability to train consistently,” Kugimiya said. “Talented kids often get bored and lose focus, but Yulo was different. He could keep going.”

In 2016, Kugimiya brought Yulo to Japan for training under a scholarship from the Japanese Olympic Committee. Initially, Yulo’s mother opposed the move, but she eventually tearfully agreed to her son’s dream.

Life in Japan was not easy. At first, Yulo lived quietly, isolated by language and culture.

“Life in Japan was very hard to adjust to. In school, I would just sit there alone because I didn’t understand the language,” Yulo recalled.

Homesickness struck him so badly that his training suffered.

“He wasn’t focused at all,” Kugimiya said. “Even at the gym, he wouldn’t train, just sit and stare. He was exhausted, lonely, and cried often. I thought it might be better to send him back home.”

The coach even bought him a plane ticket to the Philippines. But on the eve of his departure, during a simple ramen dinner, Yulo made a shocking decision—he would stay in Japan and fight through the struggle.

From then on, he transformed. His discipline hardened, his performances sharpened, and soon success followed. At the 2018 World Championships, Yulo won bronze in the floor exercise—his first major international medal. “Coach Kugimiya was like a father to me,” Yulo said. “I owe him everything.”

Winning Olympic Gold Without an Official Coach

Yet fortune seemed to turn against him again just months before Paris 2024. In October 2023, Yulo parted ways with Kugimiya, choosing to return to the Philippines to be closer to his girlfriend, Chloe San Jose.

His next coach, Tomoharu Sano, was sidelined by injury and unable to travel from Tokyo. Left without an official head coach, Yulo accepted training invitations abroad, working in Olympic medalist Lee Jun-ho’s gym in South Korea and later at a gymnastics center in the United Kingdom.

Despite the chaos, Yulo pressed forward with the support of former Philippine gymnast Aldrin Castaneda and sports therapist Dr. Hazel Calawod. Together, they helped him balance technical refinement with physical conditioning, while also teaching him how to better manage his emotions.

“Before, when I didn’t get the results I wanted, I would get frustrated and angry. I wouldn’t talk to anyone,” Yulo admitted. “But my coaches taught me how to communicate better and control my mood. That made all the difference at the 2024 Olympics.”

Making History in Paris

On August 3, 2024, Yulo captured his first Olympic gold in the floor exercise final, becoming the first male Filipino gymnast to win Olympic gold—and the first in the sport for his country. Just one day later, he won another gold, making him the most decorated male Filipino athlete in a single Olympic Games.

For Yulo, the medals represented more than personal glory. Back in 2019, The Manila Times noted that Yulo had proven gymnastics was not just for the rich. In Paris, he reiterated that belief.

“I hope my Olympic gold medals will open doors for more Filipino children to pursue gymnastics. I want the sport to grow in the Philippines,” Yulo said.

From a poor child in Manila to a two-time Olympic champion, Carlos Yulo’s journey is one of grit, sacrifice, and resilience. His gold medals are not just victories for himself, but symbols of what the Philippines—and Southeast Asia—can achieve when talent is nurtured, no matter the odds.