MANILA – In a stunning display of athleticism, Carlos Edriel Yulo claimed his second Olympic gold medal on Sunday, solidifying his place in Philippine sports history. The young gymnast triumphed in the men’s vault finals at Bercy Arena, following his victory in the floor exercise just a day earlier.
Yulo’s impressive performance began with a near-perfect first vault, scoring 15.433 points—the highest of the night. His second attempt, while slightly lower at 14.8, secured him a total score of 15.116, enough to edge out a strong British contingent and deny them a 1-2 finish.
Armenian Artur Davtyan, the final competitor, delivered two steady vaults to average 14.966, claiming silver and surpassing British gymnasts Harry Hepworth and Jake Jarman. Hepworth, who achieved the highest second vault score of 15.066, settled for bronze with an overall score of 14.949. Jarman, who previously secured bronze in the floor finals, fell to fourth place following a 0.1-point deduction on his first attempt.
Yulo’s victory marked the Philippines’ fourth medal at the Paris Olympics, coinciding closely with boxer Nesthy Petecio’s triumph in the women’s 57-kilogram quarterfinals. Petecio showcased her boxing prowess against Chinese competitor Xu Zichun, winning with a unanimous decision from all five judges. This victory positions her to potentially become the first Filipino female athlete to earn multiple Olympic medals.
Petecio will face Poland’s Julia Szeremeta in the semifinals, a matchup anticipated to take place early Thursday (PH time) after Szeremeta’s own unanimous decision win against Puerto Rico’s Ashleyann Lozada.
As the medal count stands at four—matching the Philippines’ total from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics—Yulo and Petecio are set to inspire a nation. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who won the country’s first gold in Tokyo, expressed her pride in Yulo’s achievements on Facebook, highlighting the challenges he overcame to reach this milestone.
“Congratulations ulit, Caloy! Ang galing! Ipinagmamalaki kita… para sa bayan,” Diaz wrote, expressing her admiration and support.
Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino celebrated the historic moment, stating, “Answered prayers. We already broke the record in the Olympics.”
Looking ahead, pole vaulter EJ Obiena has the opportunity to increase the medal tally in his upcoming final round, while hurdlers John Cabang and Lauren Hoffman aim to qualify through the repechage rounds.
As the Philippines continues to shine in the Paris Olympics, the achievements of Yulo and Petecio resonate deeply, uniting a nation in pride and hope for future successes.
