For ten years, Carlos Yulo and his Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya worked together. But the Paris-bound gymnast wanted to pave his own way to the podium and knew what he needed to do to stop clashing heads with his coach. “I tried talking to him (Kugimiya), to compromise when it comes to gymnastics—like, ‘Okay, I’ll follow you. I’ll do everything that you want me to do… But I also told him, ‘Coach, outside gymnastics, please give me my personal time’.”

When things didn’t work, Yulo decided to change his coach in 2023. He went back to Filipino coach Aldrin Castañeda and considering the timing of this fiasco, people assumed something extreme took place for such a drastic step before the Olympics. But things go beyond what is visible on the front.

The separation was sad, but coach Munehiro Kugimiya appreciated the potential that athletes show. No wonder he worked with Yulo for such a long time. But let us not forget that the gymnast has younger siblings—Karl Eldrew and Elaiza Andriel—who also train in the sport. They had an opportunity to be a part of a short but intensive training camp under Kugimiya. What did the coach say about them?

“We have seen the potential of Eldrew and Yza in becoming top gymnasts, ever since we saw them while coaching in Manila. That’s why I encouraged them to come to Tokyo and train with me. In this environment, we hope that both athletes can train well without any worries,” Kugimiya said, as per the Daily Tribune.

Well, the younger siblings have already started winning competitions. Karl Eldrew, 16, won the silver in the junior men’s vault at the Pacific Rim Championships in Cali, Colombia last April. But that’s not it, there’s more. He also won the all-around gold medal in the junior men’s division of the AGU Asian Junior Gymnastics Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a month later.

Similarly, Elaiza Andriel, 14, won several medals in the previous Palarong Pambansa, held in Cebu City last June. She was also awarded the silver medal in the junior vault 19th Singapore Gymnastics Open Championships. No wonder Kugimiya sees a lot of potential in the upcoming athletes.

The coach was recently a part of a FIG Level coaching course in Tokyo. He received top honors there, and he hoped to use the new skills he picked to help Eldrew and Andriel. But what is their aim ahead?

“This will doubly inspire Karl Eldrew and Yza to excel in performing well in the years to come as they eye to compete in the Los Angeles Summer Games in 2028,” Kugimiya revealed. Well, fans will have to wait and see if the younger siblings can match the glory Carlos Yulo has brought to his country. Carlos Yulo won the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal in gymnastics.

Carlos Yulo and his coach remember the early days 

After the separation last year from his coach, Carlos Yulo decided to move to the Philippines, shifting his training base to the region. But that came with its own price. He had to experience another separation as his assistant coach, Tomoharu Sano, refused to move to his country with him. Result?

After visiting a few countries to train with legendary gymnasts, he tried to settle in the Philippines.

On the brink of the Paris Olympics, such a decision could have landed him in a dark tunnel of failure. But Yulo continued to fight with the constraints. Later, because of GAP’s support, he joined Aldrin Castañeda as the mentee. And the rest, as they say, is history. But did that dark phase make him go berserk against his previous camp? 

No, absolutely not. Rather, after his double-gold feat at the Paris Olympics, Carlos Yulo shared in an exclusive with Rappler, “He [Munehiro Kugimaya] supported my dreams, believed in me, and provided for me so I can reach the stage where I am now.”

As for Kugimiya, he was there in Paris, watching his former protégé hit new heights and bring home gold.

But here’s the twist: Kugimiya doesn’t want the spotlight on himself for Yulo’s success. Instead, he’s got a vision for Carlos that goes way beyond gymnastics. “I hope that Carlos will grow into a person of character who will support future Filipino children and build an equal sports society,” he shared.

So, the ball is in Carlos Yulo’s court now. But will he take on the challenge laid out by his former coach?