Carlos Yulo has given the Philippines its first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games. The double Olympic champion won the men’s floor exercise final at the Nagoya General Gymnasium in Japan on Thursday, September 24. The victory also filled the one gap left in the 26-year-old gymnast’s collection of major international titles.
Yulo was the fourth gymnast to perform in the eight-man final. He put up a clean routine that earned 14.666 points, made up of a 5.7 difficulty score and an 8.966 execution score. Kazakhstan’s Milad Karimi, the last to compete, came close with 14.600 points and took the silver medal. Japan’s Shoma Tsukiyama won bronze with 14.566.
The gold came five days after the Aichi-Nagoya Games officially opened. Yulo had been the top floor exercise performer since the start of the gymnastics competition, leading the qualification round and posting the best floor score in the men’s team final.
The win carried special meaning for Yulo. In his first Asian Games appearance in 2018, he finished seventh on floor even though he had topped the qualification round. He did not compete at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, which made his return this year even more significant.
“Even before I arrived here, it was really challenging. It was not that easy. Receiving this blessing from God, it’s really an honor. I take it to my heart really,” Yulo told the POC Media in a mix of Filipino and English. He said he dedicated the win to those who prayed for him and to Filipinos who are also facing challenges back home.
“I’m really grateful with what happened today. Like what I said, there is no regrets in what I did today. I did what I needed to do and I gave my best,” he added.
With the Asian Games title, Yulo’s trophy case now holds gold medals from the Olympics, the World Championships, the Asian Championships, the World Cup, and the Southeast Asian Games. His record includes two gold medals from the Paris 2024 Olympics, three world championship titles, and nine SEA Games golds.
The final was also a proud family moment. Yulo’s younger brother, Karl Eldrew Yulo, qualified for the same final in his first Asian Games appearance and finished seventh with 12.233 points.
The gold put Team Philippines on the board in Nagoya, where Filipino athletes continue to compete across a range of sports.
Carlos Yulo’s campaign is not over yet. He is scheduled to compete in the vault and parallel bars finals on Friday, September 25, with a chance at more medals, while Eldrew will see action in the horizontal bar final on the same day. Asked about his hopes for the next round, the elder Yulo kept it simple: “Tomorrow, let’s just be safe.”
Source: Inquirer.net (https://sports.inquirer.net/697534/carlos-yulo-delivers-phs-first-asian-games-gold-with-floor-exercise-win) ; GMA News Online (https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/othersports/1003603/carlos-yulo-wins-first-asian-games-gold-after-challenging-journey/story/)
