ANN/INQUIRER – Team Philippines’ goal was to improve on its spectacular performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
Carlos Yulo did it all by himself.
Yulo earned his second gold medal in the men’s artistic gymnastics discipline at the Paris Olympics 2024 by riding a powerful first vault with a high difficulty score and then performing firmly in his second vault.
“It’s crazy because last night I couldn’t sleep. I was so hyped because I had won that gold medal on floor,” the 24-year-old Yulo said. “It still didn’t sink in. This morning I was so sleepy, I didn’t know what to do.”
It was Yulo’s second gold medal in the French capital, and that alone surpasses Team Philippines’ Tokyo Olympics haul of one gold, two silvers and one bronze.
And with two boxers, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, already assured of bronze, the Philippines is guaranteed to fly home with its brightest Olympic showing in history.
Yulo put together a 15.433 in his first vault, which came with one of only two routines with a 6.000 difficulty. He polished off his execution of a handspring double front half out in pike position to set the stage for his rise.
His second vault was a Kasamatsu double twist, and he did not stick the landing quite as coldly as the first but steadied himself enough to limit the deductions and rack up a 14.800.
Yulo’s 15.116 average boosted him to first place and he waited out the last four participants for his victory.
“I was just hoping to perform well (today). I didn’t really expect a medal. It really felt like a bonus for me,” he smiled.
Yulo delivered the country’s first gold medal in the Paris Olympics late Saturday in floor exercise.
Armenia’s Artur Davtyan finished with the silver with a 14.966.
Davtyan was the last gymnast on the block and the only competitor who could overtake Yulo and he zipped through two clean vaults. But he fell short, and when Team Yulo looks back on this historic moment, it will find its turning point on the decision to go for a 6.000 difficulty score.
Had they settled for 5.600 as most of the finalists did, the gold would have eluded the country.
Harry Hepworth, who set the pace early, fell to bronze with 14.933 while his fellow Briton Jake Jarman was bumped off the podium after his 14.900. Jarman was the other gymnast who went with a 6.000 difficulty score.
This marks the first time in history that the Philippines has secured more than one medal in back-to-back Olympics.
The country’s run in the last two Summer Games has been nothing short of phenomenal considering the Filipinos’ history in the Olympics.
