By JOEL C. ESCOL, Managing Editor
Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo has made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by clinching the gold medal in the men’s floor exercise at the Bercy Arena on August 3, Philippine time. This victory marks the Philippines’ first gold medal of the Games, the first gold for a male Filipino athlete, and the country’s first gold in artistic gymnastics.
Yulo delivered a breathtaking performance, showcasing his trademark high-flying tumbles and intricate spins. His routine was executed with near perfection, earning him a score of 15.000. This impressive score combined his highest difficulty score of 6.600 with a flawless execution score of 8.400. His performance captivated both the audience and the judges, securing him the top spot on the podium.
Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat, the defending champion, took home the silver with a score of 14.966, while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman won the bronze with a score of 14.933. This is only the second time in Olympic history that the Philippine anthem was played during the medal ceremony, the first being for weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz at Tokyo 2020.
Yulo’s victory is a significant milestone for the Philippines. He is now the second Filipino athlete to become an Olympic champion, following Diaz’s historic gold medal win three years ago. Additionally, Yulo is the first Filipino gymnast to achieve an Olympic podium finish.
The 24-year-old gymnast’s success comes after a challenging start in his Olympic career. He will have another opportunity to add to his medal haul as he competes in the vault final on August 4 at 10:24 p.m. PHT.
In other Olympic events, pole vaulter EJ Obiena has advanced to the men’s pole vault final despite a rocky start. Obiena initially struggled to clear 5.60 meters in his first two attempts but made a crucial comeback by clearing 5.70 and 5.75 meters on his third attempts. He qualified for the final in seventh place out of twelve competitors. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, the world number one, led the qualification round.
Obiena will aim to secure a podium finish in the final on August 6 at 1:00 a.m. PHT.
In boxing, Carlo Paalam’s hopes of replicating his silver medal performance from Tokyo 2020 were dashed. Paalam lost to Australia’s Charlie Senior by a split decision in the men’s 57-kg quarterfinal. The bout was closely contested, with the final round ultimately deciding the outcome in favor of Senior.
