Carlos Edriel Yulo, of the Philippines, pauses for the national anthem of the Phillippines as he stands on the podium after winning the gold medal during the men’s artistic gymnastics individual floor finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
After the Philippine national anthem was played to honor Carlos Yulo’s second gold at the Paris Olympics, longtime sports commentator Sev Sarmenta summed up the sentiments of perhaps everyone who witnessed a dream turned reality.
“This is not the SEA (Southeast Asian) Games, ladies and gentlemen, this is not the Asian Games, these are the Olympic Games,” the veteran broadcaster and former Inquirer columnist said as he was about to close out coverage of Yulo’s historic feat Sunday.
“In your lifetime, would you have imagined the Philippine national anthem being played on two days in a row and our flag being raised?”
It is the best description of what followers of the ongoing Games are experiencing, the Philippines getting more than what it has been used to in the past.
Multiple medalists
Yulo’s twin gold made him the third Filipino athlete to win multiple medals, joining swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, but the 24-year-old superstar pulled off his feat in a single Olympiad.
Soon they’ll have company in boxer Nesthy Petecio after she qualified to the semifinals of the women’s 57-kg division, assuring the 2020 Tokyo silver medalist of a medal finish.
The Philippines may have more than four medals by the end of the Paris Games, with pole vaulter EJ Obiena possibly getting one at press time.
With nine medals, and possibly more, in the last three Olympics, the Philippines equaled the output it had from its debut in the 1924 Paris edition until the 2012 London event.
In that long period, the country got two silvers and seven bronzes.
Diaz ended the long quest for a gold three years ago before Yulo equaled it Saturday with his floor exercise triumph, prompting exuberant calls from the off-tube booth in Manila where Sarmenta was joined by analysts Joy Valenton and Linzi Arellano-Co.
The three were more subdued when Yulo made it two in a row with his men’s vault conquest, a moment that will not only be remembered for all times, but also raise the bar for future Philippine Olympic contingents. INQ