Carlos Yulo is a Filipino gymnast who has won over many people’s hearts with his extraordinary skill, determination, and resilience. It all started from a local playground in Manila, when at 7 years old, his grandfather, Rodrigo Frisco, saw his potential as he effortlessly tumbled at a playground. Following the recognition of his talent, his grandfather introduced Yulo to the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP), setting the stage into his career.

From 2008 to 2013, Yulo competed in Palarong Pambansa, an annual multi-sport event for student-athletes across the Philippines’ 17 regions. This experience helped him become successful on a global level. In the year 2013, he met his eventual coach Munehiro Kugimiya, when Japanese trainers came to the Philippines. Yulo took up an offer to train with the Japan Olympic Association in 2016. Under the guidance of coach Kugimiya, Yulo became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian world champion in artistic gymnastics. He won his first world title at the 2020 Summer Olympics. 

However, Yulo’s path to success was far from smooth. He faced numerous setbacks and falls, including his performance at the 2023 World Championships, where he crashed his vault and finished last out of 91 gymnasts. Yulo never gave up, though, because of his resilience. His determination paid off when he qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

Approaching the Paris Summer Olympic games, Yulo trained with top gymnasts Lee Jun-ho in South Korea and Jake Jarman in England. His thorough training produced several gold medals before the contests. 

On August 3, 2024, Yulo made history becoming the first Filipino male and gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal after winning the Men’s Floor Exercise final with 15.000 points. The day after, he secured another gold in the vault with 15.116 points, becoming the Philippines’ first multiple-time Olympic champion.