The Philippines' first male athlete to win Olympic gold prompts outpouring of #PinoyPride
Gymnast Carlos Yulo cemented his legendary status at the Paris Olympics after he became the first male athlete in the Philippines history to win a gold medal.
With every tumble, handspring and stuck landing at the Paris Olympics, trailblazing two-time gold medal gymnast Carlos Yulo of Team Philippines ignited a wave of Filipino pride.
The 24-year-old cemented his legendary status after he took the top spot in the men’s floor and vault events, making him the first male athlete in the Philippines' history to win a gold medal. And the Filipino diaspora (rightfully) had no chill. They’ve been expressing their deep admiration for their “golden boy’s” major accomplishment.
Yulo first made history on Saturday when he beat out previous floor champ Artem Dolgopyat of Israel for gold, only to follow it up with another the next day when he bested Armenia’s Artur Davtyan and Great Britain’s Harry Hepworth in vault. The wins made Yulo the second person ever to take home gold for the Philippines after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the women’s 55-kilogram event in 2021 at the Tokyo Games. He also accounts for the totality of the Philippines’ medal count this year.
Yulo won the artistic gymnastics men's vault final. Lionel Bonaventure / AFP - Getty ImagesThough the crowds in Bercy Arena, which included Team USA gold medalist Suni Lee, roared for the two-time champ, the noise on social media has been even louder. The Filipino community online has been sharing anything from emotional posts about representation and their “Pinoy pride” to thanking the gymnast for being able to “witness greatness.”
Yulo even nabbed a big congrats from Diaz herself.
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