He was just seven when he walked into the gym in Manila, Philippines. Carlos Yulo was quite an active kid, and in order to help him channel that energy, Grandpa took him to a gymnastics tryout, not knowing that years later, the young Yulo would make history. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he became the first male athlete in the Philippines’ history to win a gold medal. But the road to glory was not smooth. One of the biggest obstacles turned out to be his mother.

Well, Yulo’s mother has been labeled “the most toxic mother of the year.” Why? The controversy erupted after Carlos Yulo won his gold medal when his mother, Angelica, publicly cheered for a Japanese gymnast competing against him on Facebook, sparking scrutiny over their strained relationship. But this was not the only reason.

Yulo and his mother had a disagreement over money. After the gymnast won his second gold medal in Paris, reports started surfacing about an interview his mother gave, where she dismissed Yulo’s allegations about her misusing his money. She also revealed that she received money on her son’s behalf, but as per Yulo, Angelica never gave it to him. Tensions escalated further when she accused Carlos’ girlfriend, Chloe San Jose, of exploiting him for financial gains.

Despite all the bad blood, the gymnast shared that he hoped they could move on from this issue. Similarly, Angelica apologized to Carlos, saying, “I ask for your forgiveness as a concerned mother,” and emphasized the need to resolve their issues privately. However, fast forward to October 12, their relationship still isn’t in a good place. This, in addition to his professional adversities, has been a lot for him. After seeing so many troubles in his life, how does the gymnast deal with it?

When ManilaTimes.net recently asked Carlos, “If you can talk to your younger self, what will you tell him?” Yulo responded:

“We did it. We pushed through. I’m grateful to God because he gave me the opportunity to challenge myself. It’s all worth it. I didn’t give up. I’m happy to practice my sport. I really enjoyed my time in Paris and my victory. I’m really happy because I’ve overcome it all. I’m really grateful.”

TMT: “Is there a thing that you would want to change in the past?” 

Yulo: “I am thankful for all the past mistakes that I made. I learned more about myself, and that fueled me. I am grateful for every opportunity, all the good and bad that happened. That made me who I am today.”

TMT: “How did you continue to push through despite life beating you down?“

Yulo: “I accept it all first; for me, life is not about winning all the time. It is sports. I know that I gave my best all the time in every competition. So, whether good or bad, I embraced it.“

But it wasn’t just one heartbreak that he dealt with on his journey to becoming an Olympian. He faced a whole range of challenges and struggles that really tested his strength.

How Carlos Yulo found his footing again after setbacks…

During the Artistic Gymnastics World Championship in Belgium last year, Carlos Yulo had another heartbreak. After finishing last among 91 gymnasts in the vault, he was crushed. He remembered, “I remember my whole team crying… We thought I would not be able to enter the Olympics.”

But instead of letting that setback define him, Carlos bounced back with an incredible performance in the floor exercise, finishing third and securing his spot in Paris. That tough experience not only tested his resilience but also made him stronger for what lay ahead.

When Carlos Yulo said goodbye to his long-time coach Munehiro Kugimiya after the 2023 Asian championship due to personal reasons, the gymnast decided to take a leap of faith and return to his roots. He teamed up with Aldrin Castañeda, the coach who had guided him during his junior years. They have a strong history together, having won gold medals at the 2014 ASEAN School Games in both the floor exercise and parallel bars.

This was all he needed for his success in Paris. However, his struggles can be traced back to 2016, when the then-teenager trained in Japan under Kugimiya. “When I was in Japan, I thought about it [to quit gymnastics] a lot of times. I cannot even count it on my hands. I was lonely. It was hard, especially for my age.” Though he would visit home a few times, he was busy training in Japan, learned to speak Nihongo, and also earned an associate degree in literature from Teikyo University.

Well, when life throws curveballs your way, the key is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward, just like Carlos Yulo. What do you think?