Carlos Yulo tells aspiring athletes: enjoy the process, set goals

Carlos Yulo waves the Philippine flag as he faces the crowd at Rizal Memorial Colisuem, the last stop of the Heroes parade for the Filipino athletes from the Paris Olympics 2024. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Carlos Yulo is happy with the sudden interest in gymnastics after he brought home a pair of gold medals from his historic campaign in the Paris Olympics 2024.

Yulo, who visited the ABS-CBN compound on Tuesday, expressed his excitement for the Filipinos who are developing a deeper interest in artistic gymnastics after the Olympic games, where he ruled the men’s floor exercise and vault.

The 24-year-old gymnast encourages more athletes to try out, vowing the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines’ (GAP) door will always be open for aspirants.

READ: Carlos Yulo opens door for national athletes to chase more Olympic glory

His biggest advice to aspiring athletes is to keep going, follow your heart, and set your ultimate goal. 

“In sports or education, I just want to say keep doing what’s in your heart. And always thank the Lord because everything we have—our strength and talents—comes from Him,” Yulo said in Filipino during his interview on TV Patrol.

“The journey towards our dreams can be tough, so I want you to enjoy the process and smile.”

READ: Carlos Yulo gets the fame, time now for the fortune to come

“Know your target and what you want to achieve in gymnastics or your personal dreams. Because there will come a time when it gets hard, and you’ll need a strong reason to keep going,” he added.

Importance of mental health

Carlos Yulo, of the Philippines, celebrates on the podium after winning the gold medal during the men’s artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Yulo failed to live up to the expectations in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago but that didn’t stop him from reaching his ultimate dream with the help of his team, which made him mentally stronger this year to make history for Team Philippines.

READ: Carlos Yulo silences doubters, pushes past ‘struggles’ in historic feat

“In 2020, I wasn’t that confident in myself; I felt shy with my movements because I didn’t really know myself yet. This time, I focused on that—on my mental health. It’s really important to have well-being in check,” said Yulo, who plans to keep his team intact all the way to the LA 2028 Olympics.

As he encourages more Filipinos to try gymnastics, Yulo is open to the idea of establishing a gymnastics school for Filipinos in the future, following the footsteps of the first Olympic gold winner, Hidilyn Diaz, who built her own weightlifting school.

But for now, his focus is on continuing to compete while he’s still in his prime, with his sights set on the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

“Maybe in the future, but right now I’m still an athlete, and I want to maximize the years I have left to compete, so I’m focused on being an athlete,” said Yulo. “I need to make new plans again because every Olympic cycle, the rules in gymnastics change. I need to adapt again.”