What Will the First Philippines Olympic Gold Medalalist Get After His Win?

The Philippines had a lot to celebrate this summer as not only was it the 100-year anniversary of their participation in the Olympic Games but they also provided their best showing yet at Paris 2024 with Carlos Yulo becoming the first male Philippines Olympic gold medal winner.

Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz had ended a 97-year wait for their first ever gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021 – originally scheduled for 2020 but delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic – with the Southeast Asian country now holding three gold medals to go with their five silvers and 10 bronzes. In this article we will examine the eye-catching prizes Yulo has been promised for securing their maiden male gold medals as well as how he won both golds and the hero’s welcome he received upon returning to the Philippines…

• Philippines First Gold Medal in Men’s Competition
• Olympic Champion to Receive Ramen for Life
• How did Yulo win the Philippines’ First Olympic Gold Medals?
• Yulo Enjoys Hero’s Welcome in the Philippines
• Other Strange Prizes Given to Olympians

Philippines First Gold Medal in Men’s Competition​​

​​​​​Filipino gymnast Yulo landed two gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – one in the floor exercise event and the other in vault less than 24 hours later – bringing great honor to the Philippines in their centennial celebration year. And the 24-year-old can bask in his double success and enjoy a wealth of rewards upon his return to his homeland. The Philippine government had promised 10 million Philippine pesos (worth around $177,000) to any Olympian who won a gold medal.

However, the House of Representatives are gifting Yulo an additional six million Philippine pesos ($106,000) with the speaker of the lower house Ferdinand Martin Romualdez describing him as a “sports hero” and “national treasure.” But perhaps the best prize comes from property developer Megaworld Corporation in the shape of a fully-furnished apartment in a trendy township in capital Manila worth 32 million Philippine pesos ($566,000).

Megaworld promised to reward each Philippines Olympic gold medal winner with a two-bedroom residential condominium worth 24 million Philippine pesos ($425,000) in the center of Taguig, a coastal city on the eastern shores of metropolitan Manila. However, after the 4ft 11in star secured his second gold medal the property company decided to upgrade their reward for him to a more expensive three-bedroom condo. The swanky flat is located inside the company’s 50-hectare McKinley Hill township, just a 15-minute drive north of Taguig.

Inspired by cities in Spain and Italy, McKinley Hill is the largest township development in metropolitan Manila with Megaworld believing it the ideal place for Yulo to live after his Olympic glory. In a statement Megaworld president Lourdes T. Gutierrez-Alfonso said: “McKinley Hill is home to several world-class athletes, including members of the Philippine national teams for basketball and football. “This makes it a perfect home for Filipino champions who live a life of passion and excellence through and through.”

They have also promised to hand Yulo a further cash injection worth three million Philippine pesos ($53,000). After moving into the condo Megaworld posted again on Facebook showcasing inside the 100-square meter unit equipped with home appliances like a large refrigerator, microwave oven, washing and drying machines, four smart TVs and even a games console.

There are two balconies that Yulo can access from both the living room and the master’s bedroom offering views of the township and the rest of the property. In the living room sits a replica of the gold medal he won in Paris, while the unit also comes with its own maid’s room and a specific car parking spot.

Olympic Champion to Receive Ramen for Life

You might have thought all that was enough for the Manila-born athlete to enjoy, but there’s more. Born in the Malate district of Manila, the country’s capital city prepared a hero’s welcome for Yulo and the other Filipino athletes on their return home. “The grandest welcome will greet him and all our Paris Olympians,” Manila mayor Honey Lacuna told the BBC. “When we meet him, we will present Carlos Yulo cash incentives, awards, and symbols of the eternal gratitude of the proud capital city of the Philippines.”

He was also congratulated by the Philippines’ President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Romualdez Marcos Jr, who wrote on Facebook: “No words can express how proud we are of you, Caloy. “You have achieved GOLD for the Philippines not once, but twice! Filipinos all over the world stood united, cheering and rooting for you.” Yulo can make the most of a number of generous offers from institutions and restaurants, such as a reward for the Olympic champion to receive Ramen for life.

“Carlos Edriel Yulo strikes gold again!!” Hagemu Sushi and Ramen Bar Calasiao wrote in a post on Facebook. “Congratulations to our very own Golden Boy on clinching his second gold medal in men’s artistic gymnastics – vault! “To celebrate your outstanding achievement, we are thrilled to extend a special gift: FREE LIFETIME RAMEN not just for you, but also for your wonderful and supportive girlfriend Chloe Anjeleigh. Enjoy the taste of victory and love with every bowl! Mabuhay!”

As the first male Philippines Olympic gold medal winner, Yulo has also been offered lifetime supplies of chicken inasal – a variant of the popular Filipino chicken dish known as lechon manok – and free buffets from other restaurants. A doctor has even pledged to give Yulo free consultations and colonoscopies for life, but reportedly only once he turns 45 which won’t be for another 21 years!

The University of Mindanao have offered him free university credits for further learning. He has offers for two free cafe franchises from coffee and lemon drink business Don Macchiatos as well as a host of other brand ambassador opportunities to explore. Even people who share the same name as Carlos Yulo are being rewarded in the Philippines, with some eateries giving out free meals or drinks to anyone who goes by the name of Carlos, Caloy – Yulo’s nickname – or Edriel – his middle name.

How Did Yulo Win the Philippines’ First Olympic Gold Medals?

In the build-up to Paris 2024, Yulo trained in South Korea with gymnast Lee Jun-ho and in Lilleshall, England with Jake Jarman – who would go on to take bronze behind the Filipino in the floor exercise event. His 2024 season started with a bronze on floor exercise at the Baku World Cup, followed by gold on the parallel bars and silver on the vault at the Doha World Cup.

Yulo picked up his first continental all-around title at the Asian Championships in May, taking home a total of four golds from that competition. Heading into the Olympics he qualified for three events – the men’s individual all-around, vault and floor. His first appearance in Paris saw him finish 12th in the individual all-around final.

First Gold Medal – Floor

On Saturday 3 August, Yulo won the Philippines first gold medal of Paris 2024 in the men’s floor exercise final and in doing so, became the first ever male Philippines Olympic gold medal winner. ‘Caloy’ – as he is often known – simply could not hold back the tears as he celebrated his success, having beat off competition from defending Games champion Artem Dolgopyat and training partner Jarman. Israel’s Dolgopyat was also the reigning world floor champion going into Paris 2024 and mounted his defense with a stylish routine scoring 14.966 from the judges.

The 27-year-old faced a long wait to see if his score was going to be good enough for gold again, while Brit Jarman – who qualified for this final in first position – went into third with a score of 14.933 from his routine. No Filipino gymnast had ever won a medal before Yulo and in Paris his performance had all the markings of a podium finish, with his score of 15.000 seeing him pass Dolgopyat into first position and causing him to let out a huge roar in front of the cameras.

Jarman’s fellow Brit Luke Whitehouse couldn’t do any better with his score of 14.466 only enough for sixth behind Ukrainian Illia Kovtun (14.533) and Kazakhstani Milad Karimi (14.500). Yulo’s gold was confirmed, with Dolgopyat taking silver and Jarman bronze – sending the Filipino nation and its estimated 114 million people into wild celebrations.

“I’m so overwhelmed,” Yulo said afterwards. “I’m feeling grateful for having this medal and for God. He protected me, as always. He gave me the strength to get through this kind of performance and perform this well.” “I don’t know what to say. We are a really small country so to be able to get a gold medal for us is big for us, huge. I dedicate this to the Filipino people who supported me.”

Second Gold Medal – Vault

Just a day later – on Sunday 4 August – Yulo doubled his and the Philippines first gold medal from one to two in the men’s vault final. Yulo’s score of 15.116 was enough to triumph again with his routine ending impressively with a front full into a three-and-a-half twist landed successfully. Armenian Artur Davytan took silver with a score of 14.966, while Great Britain’s Harry Hepworth secured bronze with a score of 14.949. Anyone looking for a lengthy bet on the Olympics before the competition started would have done well to back Yulo for two golds.

Yulo Enjoys Hero’s Welcome in the Philippines

Yulo flew home to the Philippines on Tuesday 13 August to receive a hero’s welcome as he was mobbed at Manila Airport and given a nationally televised tribune from the president. Yulo and the other Filipino athletes who participated in the Games – including two female boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villega who both won bronze medals – were welcomed by supporters waving flags and asking for selfies and handshakes. Wearing his two gold medals Yulo thanked the fans for their support, telling reporters: “I am beyond blessed and grateful.”

President Bongbong Marcos gave the athletes presidential citations and admitted they set off to France without “official technical support from the government. “They did it on their own,” he added. “Of course, there are some who helped, sometimes the government is able to help, but there is no formal structure to help our athletes.” Further gifts pledged to Yulo reportedly include a resort house south of Manila as well as more freebies including pizzas, ice cream and domestic and international flights.

Legendary Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao – who went on to be a Senator in the Philippines – also promised to reward the gymnast with an unspecified amount of money. A celebratory parade for the athletes took place on Wednesday 14 August along the main streets of Manila, drawing tens of thousands of jubilant supporters.

The parade must have been especially poignant for Yulo as it passed a poor community where he grew up and initially trained in gymnastics at a public gym with his siblings – the location where a coach discovered his skills aged just seven. Posters of a smiling Yulo were seen on posts around his neighborhood and along the nearby streets as locals poured out to celebrate.

Other Strange Prizes Given to Olympians

Despite the amazing amount of prizes given out to Yulo he isn’t the first ever Olympic champion to be rewarded in strange ways. Here we will look at some other wild gifts given to Games heroes:

• Indonesian badminton gold medalists Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu were given their own shop front by popular metaball restaurant chain Baso Aci Abang. Rahayu was also bizarrely promised five cows as well as a house by the island of Sulawesi where she comes from.
• South Korean Olympic medalists are granted exemption from military service whilst all able-bodied men must enlist in their armed forces for a total of 18 months before the age of 28. Gold-medal winning archers at Tokyo 2020 were given Hyundai cars, with the South Korean manufacturer sponsoring the team.
• Russian Olympic medalists were given a range of gifts from racehorses to premium cars such as BMW X5s which some of them promptly sold as they couldn’t afford to pay for their upkeep.
• Polish gold medalists in individual events are given 250,000 zlotys ($65,000) in cash as well as a two-bedroom apartment, diamond, painting and a holiday voucher for their success, while silver and bronze medalists also get cash and other gifts.
• Jordan athlete Ahman Abu Ghaush who won his country’s first ever gold in the men’s 68kg Taekwondo at the Rio 2016 Games was handed 100,000 dinars ($140,000), with his coach pocketing around half that figure too. Abu Ghaush was also given a host of other gifts from companies including a car and luxury watch, while King Abdullah II awarded him with a First Class Order of Distinction.