Carlos Yulo: First Filipino to win in World Artistic Gymnastic Championships 

Georgia Adriene Compio

PUBMAT | Anthony Beronque

“Go for the Gold!” is what Carlos Yulo proved as he claimed his second World Championship gold medal. 

On Sunday, October 24, the 21 year old Filipino artistic gymnast named Carlos Edriel Yulo bagged the gold in the Men’s Vault Final at the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan.

As the Men’s vault final competition began, Yulo has again written more history for the Philippines. He claimed the title as the only Filipino gymnast to win a medal at the said competition. Yulo was the first to perform, where he successfully executed two clean vaults of Kasamatsu double twist and a Dragulescu or handspring double front half out, which recorded an average of 14.916.

Averaging a 15.033 as he attempted for the second time, he finally secured the gold. “I am extremely happy today. I did my best. All the hard work paid off, but still, it is not satisfying for me yet,” said Yulo. "I won the gold and another achievement for me on the parallel bars, but there is always something more. I want to reach my full potential as a gymnast,” he added.

As he expressed his gratitude and overflowing happiness in bagging the gold for his country, Yulo craves and becomes more determined in proving himself and reaching his goal in this field. “The Tokyo Olympics... I will never forget that feeling and that experience. I will use that in every competition. I will remember it every time,” said Yulo. 

The win is a triumph after Yulo missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in which he barely forfeited an Olympic podium finish. Last Saturday, he failed to defend his title after earning a .3 neutral deduction for going beyond the area in his third tumbling pass, and he departed the finals of his favorite event, the floor exercise, without a medal.

At the age of 21, Carlos Edriel Yulo has already put in an outstanding performance for his beloved country, the Philippines, and has proudly represented the rest of the Filipino athletes worldwide. May this serve as a motivation to other aspiring athletes and keep in mind, as Carlos Yulo said, “I want to be the best version of myself.”