Imagine this. A seven-year-old boy who loves nothing more than to tumble around visits the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in the Philippines. And he just so happens to catch the attention of the one person who can change the trajectory of his future. Well, that’s the story of Carlos Yulo’s chance encounter with a particular someone who he now sees as nothing short of a parent.

From wanting to quit professional gymnastics and all the hardships that came with it to becoming the Philippines’ first double gold medalist at the Olympics, Carlos Yulo’s story has been nothing short of inspirational. But had it not been for Cynthia Carrion-Norton, the President of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, Yulo may have never made it. He admitted so himself.

“There are many people who helped me. Ma’am Cynthia, she fought a lot of people to be able to support me. She is like a parent to me; she believes in me,” the 24-year-old said after clinching gold in the vault and floor exercise in Paris. By doing so, the superstar gymnast brought home the Philippines’ very first Olympic medal in gymnastics and the second gold medal overall for the country, following Hidilyn Diaz’s epic win in weightlifting at the Tokyo Games. That said, Carrion-Norton couldn’t help but admit she wished Yulo brought home three medals instead of two.

“I really thought it was going to be three. Two gold medals and one silver for the T-bar. I wasn’t disappointed that he didn’t make it,” she said, as reported by philstar.com. But disappointed she was not. After all, without her help, Carlos Yulo wouldn’t have become the national hero he is today. As president of GAP, she tirelessly sought sponsors for Yulo and actively guided him before, during, and after his training in Japan under head coach Munehiro Kugimiya.

She was also there when the youngster returned to the Philippines and started training under Filipino coach Aldrin Castañeda, who prepared him for the Paris Olympics. And now, Carrion-Norton has given herself an odd title as she pushed the gymnast to reach greater heights. In a conversation with Rappler, Carrion-Norton revealed: “In the making of a champion, we needed a lot of funding, and I started to search for funds. Unfortunately, I did not realize that I would become a professional beggar.”

Her take on the struggle to get financial support for Yulo and other young gymnasts shows just how dedicated she is. “But a beggar with style and substance, because I believe I was doing it with honesty, with confidence — because I always tell them we’re going to win a medal for them — with transparency, in pursuit of excellence.” Carlos Yulo made true on that promise, and he hopes to keep doing that for years to come. At least, that was what he told Carrion on his birthday.

The GAP President shared, “His wish is I continue to be with him in his 2028 LA Olympics [journey] as he wants to achieve his all-around gold medal… Carlos always thanks me and knows that without me, he would not have achieved his gold medals.” Why wouldn’t he want a support system like Carrion, someone who stood by him through the most challenging phases of his life?

“Every time Carlos wanted to quit I would say, ‘Carlos, do not quit because you are going to be my Olympic champion and you are going to be the hero of the Philippines. Nobody will remember me, but they will remember you,’” she revealed. And it’s not just about Yulo. She’s got big dreams for the future, aiming to boost the grassroots program for the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP). She mentioned they’ve got “a hundred little boys” in training, all eager to “be like Carlos Yulo.”

It’s super inspiring to see how much passion they’re pouring into shaping the next generation of gymnasts, even if it means hitting up sponsors for some cash. Thanks to some help from Japan, Carrion shared that GAP was able to set up another gym for those young stars in the making. So, how did Japan help elevate gymnastics in the Philippines?

Japan lends a hand in Carlos Yulo’s gymnastics journey

On March 17, 2023, the Embassy of Japan hosted a special event called the Grassroots Assistance Handover Ceremony for the Project for Improvement of Training Environment of Philippines Gymnastics Association at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. It was all about teaming up with the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) to make some big moves for the future of gymnastics in the country.

Japan’s government got in on the action, donating some top-tier gymnastics gear through the Grassroots Cultural Grant Assistance Scheme. This gift was meant to help GAP kick off its plan to set up a training facility for the next generation of gymnasts. And it’s not just for the elite crowd; this spot aims to get tons of kids involved and let them feel the joy of gymnastics!

Carlos Yulo, the superstar of Philippine gymnastics, has been crushing it thanks to his coach, Kugimiya. And indeed this whole Japan partnership has been a game changer, as Yulo shined brightly on the Olympic stage and made history for the Philippines!