Big things come in small packages. For the second straight Olympic Games, the Philippines lived up to expectations. The parcel to Paris: Carlos Yulo.
The return: A golden double. And while the Olympic champion gymnast provided the all-time highlight of Philippine sports so far, several other individuals across various sports helped make 2024 a stellar year for the country. From young Daniel Quizon to the veterans Carlo Biado and Rubilen Amit, the Philippines again stamped its mark on the international sports arena, with Gilas Pilipinas again showing brilliance and Alas Pilipinas proving it deserves a share of the spotlight.
Yulo came up with a superb performance at Bercy Arena, winning the men’s floor exercise and vault events. The twin victories made Yulo the most successful Filipino Olympian, delivering the second and third gold medals for the Philippines three years after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo came up with the breakthrough win for the country in the Tokyo Games—all under the watch of Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. The 24-year-old Yulo wowed the crowd and gained the judges’ approval with advanced difficulty and near-perfect execution in the men’s floor exercise for a 15.
000 score—an exceptional mark under the fairly new 20-point gymnastics scoring system. The pint-sized star broke that barrier the next day en route to doubling his haul, averaging 15.116 points with his spectacular opening vault gaining 15.
333 and.
