[ODDS and EVENS] Gymnast Carlos Yulo Honored by Japan's Embassy in Manila

Gymnast Carlos Yulo is a national hero in the Philippines, the nation's first athlete to win two Olympic gold medals.

Nearly two months to the day after he captured his first gold medal, in the men's floor exercise final at the 2024 Paris Games, the 24-year-old was honored at a special reception in Manila.

Kazuya Endo, the Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines, gave Yulo the Ambassador's Award during a celebration of his Olympic achievements on October 1. The event took place at the ambassador's residence.

International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) President Morinari Watanabe was one of the dignitaries at the reception. (He is also a candidate to become the next International Olympic Committee chief.) Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino also attended the dinner.

The Manila gathering recognized Yulo's recent success in the French capital. He won the floor exercise final on August 3 and captured the gold in the men's vault final a day later. 

The dinner provided a golden opportunity for Filipino and Japanese attendees to celebrate their nations' friendship.

It was particularly meaningful because of the binational relationship that helped foster Yulo's success in gymnastics. Yulo's promising career was boosted by support from the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, the Japan Gymnastics Association and an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship, which provided for living and training expenses.

Ambassador Endo Celebrates the Binational Success Story

At the reception to honor Yulo, Ambassador Endo underscored the value of binational cooperation as a catalyst for achieving goals.

"It excites me to know that it was in Japan where Carlos further honed his mind and body into becoming a champion, through a scholarship that helped him on his winning path," Ambassador Endo said, according to the Philippine News Agency.

"As he remains a superb testament to our countries' people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Japan is deeply honored to have helped shape him into the best version of himself and into one of the finest athletes the sport has seen."

Carlos Yulo: From Manila to Tokyo

Yulo's rise to stardom in gymnastics is linked to his bold decision as a teenager to relocate to Japan in 2016 to train full-time under the guidance of Munehiro Kugimiya, his longtime former coach. He attended Teikyo Junior College and then Teikyo University in Tokyo, graduating in 2022 with an associate's degree in literature.

Nearly a decade following that move, Yulo is grateful for the experience of living, training and furthering his education in Japan.

During the aforementioned gathering in his honor, Yulo, who relocated to Manila in 2023, shared his thoughts on positive experiences in Japan that enriched his life.

"Japan is really special to my heart," he was quoted as saying on October 1 by Rappler.com. "It really helped me to boost my gymnastics, and of course, my personality as well."

He continued: "I'm really grateful for the people that I met there. I learned skills, their culture, how they speak, how they move. I'm really grateful for that and for the help they gave me, the knowledge I acquired, and all the winnings that I accomplished." 

Since 2018, Yulo has amassed six medals and made five overall appearances at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships through 2023. Most notably, he claimed the gold in the floor exercise in 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany, and in 2021 won the vault in Kitakyushu. 

Three years ago, he made his Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games, placing fourth in the vault final.

Setting the Proper Example

When you observe Carlos Yulo's career, you can see that he's made an effort to be involved in events that recognize established bonds in sports and friendship between the Philippines and Japan.

To shun such activities would, of course, be bad public relations.

Instead, showing gratitude sets the right example for aspiring Olympians. Clearly, Yulo can help further strengthen cooperation between national sports organizations and other entities in Japan and his homeland.

Simply put, showing up and saying "thank you," shaking hands, posing for pictures and telling a few stories about the Olympic experience are actions that resonate with people.

Which is exactly what he plans to keep on doing. He said as much on the first of October, mentioning plans for an upcoming visit to Teikyo University in the same month.

"I'm going to the university to say thank you for the support they gave me, and of course, for the scholarship they gave me, and for also taking care of me," Yulo said, according to Rappler.com. 

He then said, "I want to see them, the president of the university, to say thank you. Of course, I will show my medals." 

Great idea. More athletes should do the same thing ― and publicize their plans, too.

Yulo should also repeat the positive message of the enduring values that Kugimiya taught him.

Such as?

"I learned that when you persevere, you give time — you dedicate your heart — you will achieve greater things and learn more about yourself," he said, according to the Philippine News Agency.

The Impact of Yulo's Success

Yulo's two Olympic gold medals are inspiring to up-and-coming Filipino athletes. They are iconic symbols of the collaboration between the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines and its counterpart in Japan.

The International Gymnastics Federation also factors into future plans to bolster the two nations' ties in the sport. And don't forget that FIG President Watanabe has a vested interest in helping make this a reality.

Cynthia Carrion, president of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, outlined some of these future goals in a recent news report.

"We're collaborating with Japan a lot," Carrion told Rappler.com  before adding, "We're going to training camps in Japan. [Watanabe will] also be sending good coaches here for my other athletes as well."

Added Carrion, "We are not gonna stop now, we are going to go forward. Now that I’ve experienced what we can do with one Olympian, I think we should continue doing the same thing for the others."

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.