Aside from winning more gold medals, Carlos Yulo also dreamed of competing alongside his younger brother Eldrew in the Olympics someday.
“Gusto kong mahintay siya until 2028 (Los Angeles Olympics),” Yulo said during Tuesday’s press briefing following his recent medal stint at the 50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Japan.
Eldrew, 13, has chosen a similar path with his older brother and has been showing great potential in previous local competitions.
He has already won multiple gold medals in artistic gymnastics at the Palarong Pambansa.
Even Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) President Cynthia Carrion sees the potential in Eldrew and said that they are looking forward to investing in him the way they did to Carlos when he was just starting.
Still fresh from winning one gold and one silver medal at the world championships, Carlos said he never stops dreaming of making it on top of the Olympics podium.
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In fact, his unsuccessful debut Olympics stint in Tokyo a few months ago has become his driving force to not settle for less.
“Lagi kong nire-remind ang sarili ko, ‘Paano kung Olympics bukas?’” Yulo said.
“Di po ako mapanatag na ganun lang yung performance ko. Kaya binibigay ko po lahat kahit training lang or sa competition mismo.”
He targets to compete in all events and vie for the all-around at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He also drew inspiration from Hidilyn Diaz’s journey on top, where the Zamboanga weightlifter took four Olympics appearances to win the country’s first gold medal.
“Pag dumating yung Olympics, gusto ko andun ako sa finals at magka-medal ako. Gold po talaga,” Yulo said.
“Nung nakita ko yung gold medal ni Ate Hidilyn, na-feel ko yung parang gutom. Yung feeling na gusto ko rin non.”
While the Paris Games is three years away, Yulo is concentrating on tweaking and improving his routines for a busy calendar year in 2022.
Among the major tournaments penciled next year are the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in May, the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, and the 51st world championships in Liverpool, England.