Carlos Yulo wins floor exercise gold medal in Paris Olympics

Team Philippines’ Carlos Yulo poses with his gold medal during the podium ceremony for the artistic gymnastics men’s floor exercise during the Paris Olympics at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 3, 2024. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP)

Carlos Yulo successfully delivered Team Philippines’ first gold medal in the Paris Olympics 2024, ruling the men’s artistic gymnastics floor exercise final at Bercy Arena on Saturday night (Manila time).

Yulo tallied 15.000 points as the third gymnast competing in his pet apparatus, sufficient for a golden finish–the first of the country in this year’s Olympics and second overall after Hidilyn Diaz Naranjo’s breakthrough gold in the Tokyo Games.

“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.”

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Artem Dolgopyat of Israel, the defending champion of the event, won the silver  while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman rounded out the podium with a bronze.

Spain’s Rayderley Zapata opened the floor exercise with a routine that earned him 14.333 points. Dolgopyat  followed suit and scored 14.966 points, giving Yulo a tough act to follow.

THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A TITLE 🥇😭

Thank you for giving the Philippines its first Olympic medal in gymnastics and in Paris 2024, Carlos Yulo!#Paris2024 #OlympicGames #100TaongLaban #ParaSaBayan pic.twitter.com/GzvEqmqFFG

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) August 3, 2024

But the Filipino bet showcased his steel-like composure and it bore a golden result.

With the whole Bercy Arena watching his every move, Yulo submitted a 6.600 difficulty and executed his floor exercise routine almost flawlessly, earning an impressive score that five gymnasts had to follow.

READ Carlos Yulo has chance to make history at Paris Olympics

Yulo stuck his triple-twisting dismount during his final tumbling pass. He stuck his arms out and roared before walking off the podium.

“I did not hesitate. I just went for it,” Yulo, a two-time world champion, told journalists after the medal ceremony. “I dedicate this to the Filipino people,” he added.

The biggest scare came when Jarman, who topped the floor exercise during the men’s all-around final and qualifications, took the floor.

While the British gymnast, a friend of Yulo’s whose mother is Filipino, executed his routine, Yulo watched with bated breath until it was revealed that Jarman scored 14.933 points.

Philippines’ Carlos Yulo reacts after competing in the artistic gymnastics men’s floor exercise final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 3, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Luke Whitehouse, the last gymnast to compete, was observed eagerly by Yulo and his camp as it determined whether the Filipino bet would finish with a gold or silver.

And when the other Great Britain’s bet’s score was revealed at just 14.466, Yulo broke down in tears of joy as the realization dawned that he would be taking home the elusive gold medal.

Yulo is the first gymnast to ever notch a medal in the Olympics for the Philippines. He has a chance to add one more medal to his haul when he takes on the vault apparatus–where he was also once a world champion–on Sunday.

Yulo joins weightlifter Diaz as the only Olympic gold medalists from the Philippines. Diaz earned gold in the weightlifting women’s 55-kilogram division in Tokyo three years ago. –With reports from Associated Press