MANILA – Gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo became the first Filipino athlete to capture two Olympic gold medals after ruling the vault event of the 2024 Paris Olympics last night at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.
On Saturday, he topped the floor exercise for his first Olympic gold.
The diminutive Filipino gymnast garnered a total of 15.116 points—15.433 in first attempt (6.00 in difficulty and 9.433 in execution) and 14.800 in the second attempt (5.600 in difficulty and 9.200 in execution).
Armenia’s Artur Davtyan finished with a silver medal with 14.966 points (14.966 in the first try and 14.966 in second try) and Great Britain’s Harry Hepworth ended with bronze with 14.949 points (14.833 in first try and 15.066 in second try).
At the floor exercise, the 24-year-old Yulo bagged his first gold medal with 15.000 points after showcasing breathtaking display of skill and artistry.
Yulo delivered a flawless routine that showcased his signature combination of high-flying tumbles and intricate spins. His execution was near perfect, with each move executed with finesse and confidence.
Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat settled for silver with a score of 14.966, while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman, who has roots from Cebu province, secured bronze after his 14.933 score.
“I’m so overwhelmed. I’m feeling grateful for having this medal and for God. He protected me, as always,” said Yulo. “He gave me the strength to get through this kind of performance and perform this well.”
Yulo’s gold medal wins in the men’s floor exercise and vault events made up for his 12th place finish in the individual all-around finale, where he ended up with a total of 83.032 points.
Meanwhile, Filipina boxer Aira Villegas also assured the country of another medal finish after pulling off a split decision win over France’s Wassila Lkhadiri in the quarterfinals of the women’s boxing 50kg class.
Villegas got the early lead after landing superb combos in the first round. Lkhadiri leveled the match in the second round where she repeatedly tagged the Pinay with right hands.
The two went all out in the final round, but Villegas got the better of the exchanges and the nod of the judges, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 27-30, 28-29./PN
