The Bercy Arena at the Paris Olympics was buzzing with excitement as Carlos Yulo, the 24-year-old Filipino artistic gymnast, took the floor. After years of blood, sweat, and tears, Carlos wept as his name lit up the scoreboard. He had done it! He clinched the gold in the floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a 15.000 score as the first Philippine man to snag Olympic gold, bringing home the country’s first-ever medal in gymnastics.

It’s only the Philippines’ second overall gold, following Hidilyn Diaz’s weightlifting win in the Women’s 55 kg category in Tokyo! But behind this glorious moment lies a story full of twists, turns, and plenty of drama! The spotlight wasn’t just on his impressive gymnastics—it was also on his relationship with his partner, Chloe San Jose. Carlos’s decision to stay in Manila with Chloe shook up his world.

In 2016, the young gymnast secured a scholarship from the Japan Olympic Association to train in the country. However, Yulo’s decision to move back to the Philippines and be with his girlfriend created a major feud with his family. His choice to prioritize his personal life over the gymnastics-focused life he had in Japan led to strained relationships with some family members. While some believe his love life might have cooled his competitive fire, Yulo insists it fueled his passion and performance!

In an exclusive interview with Rappler in May, Carlos Yulo opened up about his journey. “My relationship, it’s out of gymnastics… but if it’s in any way connected, I now have a better well-being. Whenever I perform, I have a better mindset. Even if I fall, win or lose, I’m grateful,” he shared. “My partner taught me to grow,” Yulo said of his girlfriend, San Jose, a bubbly content creator. “She helped me… tungkol sa sarili ko, ‘yun yung kulang sa akin. Natulungan niya ako mag-grow doon. (learning about myself; I didn’t have that. She helped me grow in that aspect.)”

Choosing love over the familiar comforts of Japan, where he trained for nearly a decade, wasn’t easy. But Carlos found happiness and a sense of peace in Manila, even if it meant facing more obstacles. The couple had a long-distance relationship during Yulo’s stay in Japan, while San Jose was busy studying in Melbourne, Australia.

Notably, the Carlos and Chloe met when the latter slid into his DMs four years ago, to share her admiration for the gymnast. Since then, the young social media star has been a regular on the stands for her boyfriend.

In her own words, “I let him focus. Binibigyan ko po siya ng time. (I give him time.) Siyempre, pag training, I respect his time. I let him do what he needs to do. Kapag tapos na siya, that’s where I spend my time sa kanya. (When he’s done, that’s where I spend my time with him.)”

Thankfully, the 24-year-gymnast had learnt to focus on his mental health and well-being. This work-life balance was a key reason behind one of the boldest decisions of his career!

Carlos Yulo balanced life outside gymnastics, clashed with his coach, and landed on the Paris Olympics podium!

Carlos Yulo’s journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster! After dominating the gymnastics world with Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya since 2013—bagging golds at the World Championships and winning over fans worldwide—Yulo decided it was time for a change in 2023. He moved back to Filipino coach Aldrin Castañeda.

In Filipino, he shared, “I tried talking to him (Munehiro), to compromise when it comes to gymnastics—like, ‘Okay, I’ll follow you. I’ll do everything that you want me to do.’ I will really do everything,” during his exclusive talk with Rappler. Carlos Yulo continued, “But I also told him, ‘Coach, outside gymnastics, bigay ’nyo na lang po sa akin ‘to (please give me my personal time).’ That’s like my only time to take a break. I was in Japan, I didn’t really have that many friends there.”

This decision wasn’t without its bumps—Yulo parted ways with KG Management Inc. as a result of the feud bubbling between them in his pursuit of peace and faced a tough debut at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, struggling with an awkward landing that kept him out of the all-around final. But with Castañeda back in his corner and a renewed focus, Yulo qualified for the Paris Olympics. 

With a jaw-dropping routine, the 24-year-old nailed his performance creating history. He faced a tense wait as competitors followed, but no one could top his score! Silver went to Tokyo 2020 champion, Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat (14.966), and Great Britain’s Jake Jarman took bronze (14.933).

As he celebrated on the podium, he shared his gratitude, saying, “I’m grateful for the people who really supported me. I could not do it without them.” His journey clearly paid off, and how!

Megaworld Corporation, a real-estate company in the Philippines announced, on August 1, a huge list of gifts awaiting the gold medalist, including a P24 million (over $400k) “fully-furnished two-bedroom property at McKinley Hill in Bonifacio Global City”. He will also receive a free house from the government, along with other perks that include:

• PHP 3 million in cash (~52,000 USD) from the country’s House of Representatives.
• A lifetime of free ramen, free buffets, and free meals from numerous local establishments.
• PHP 10 million in cash (~$173,000 USD) from the Philippine Sports Commission.
• A lifetime of free colonoscopies and gastroenterology consultations, but only once he turns 45.

Now that’s what we can call an inspiring comeback!