MANILA -- After already securing one gold for the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Games, gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo -- fondly called "Caloy" -- had a chance to do something no Filipino has ever done before.

Win two Olympic gold medals.

Yulo, a 24-year-old native of Manila, was already assured of history following his majestic display in the floor exercise finals in the men's artistic gymnastics. He could have been satisfied with that feat, as a bevy of incentives and rewards already awaited him upon his triumphant return to the country.

However, Caloy is built differently.

In the vault finals on August 4, Filipinos who stayed late to watch Yulo witnessed him perform a Ri Se Gwang at 6.0 difficulty to get a 15.433 for an early lead in the finals. He followed it with a Kasamatsu at 5.6 with a score of 14.800, in turn, allowing him to receive a 15.116 and best Artur Davtyan of Armenia and Harry Hepworth of Great Britain who got averages of 14.966 and 14.949, respectively.

Yulo's score propelled him to the top of the podium for the second time in this year's Summer Games -- much to the delight of the Filipinos at the Bercy Arena in Paris, as well as the locals supporting him from over 10,747 kilometers away in Leveriza.

"Parang piyesta, parang bagong taon. Talagang bulabog, may mga sumisigaw, tumatalon, pumapalakpak," said Rodrigo Frisco, Caloy's grandfather, as he described how their neighborhood in Balingkit in Malate reacted to their Golden Boy bringing yet more glory to the whole country.

"Noong laban ni Caloy, nung gabi na yon, sobrang ingay naming lahat. 'Yung mga kapitbahay, nag suguran, sigawan ng: 'Naka-gold si Caloy!' Sa kani-kanilang bahay nag labasan at nag lulu-lundag sila diyan," recalled 'Mang Boy' of the early Sunday victory of his grandson.

Leveriza was indeed dressed in color as Caloy was competing in Paris.

Banderitas were seen throughout the streets and above the houses at that time, a few days before their neighbor landed back in the Philippines. Everything seemed set for Leveriza to welcome Yulo home.

In truth, it was sheer coincidence: they were preparing for the celebration of the Feast of the Our Lady of the Assumption.

What is not a coincidence is how Yulo -- now the most celebrated athlete in the Philippines -- tumbled and vaulted his way from his neighborhood, to national glory, to the Land of the Rising Sun, and eventually, to the City of Light in France, where he put on a show that will not be forgotten.

It is also not a coincidence that Yulo's neighborhood loved and appreciated gymnastics -- even before the historic showing of the "Golden Boy" in Paris.

According to Mang Boy, children from their area -- particularly in Balingkit -- have been fond of the sport even before they had an idea of what gymnastics actually is and how it can turn their lives and fortunes around.

They had no other reasons -- just the youth enjoying their time, playing outside and having fun.

"Araw-araw, pinapasyal ko ang mga apo ko. Sinasama ko sila, at wala akong pinipiling mga bata," said Frisco, as he recalled how a young Carlos, his cousins, and some of their neighbors spent their time playing at the Paraiso ng mga Batang Maynila.

"Tumbling-tumbling lang noon," added Mang Boy of the 7-year-old Caloy, whom he then brought to the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex -- where his grandson and his playmates got formal gymnastics training for the first time.

However, it was not as easy as that. Frisco explained that he had to talk his way into getting the children to train for free.

"From the start pa lang, alam na naming mahal mag training sa gymnastics, pero naipasok ko siya ng libre, scholar, dahil nga pina-tumbling, nagustohan, so naging libre," shared Frisco, whose experience as an athlete came not in gymnastics, but in volleyball.

"Dapat nga, ang babayaran noong ticket, P30," he recalled. "Pero ang sabi ko, 'Nako, po wala kaming pambayad niyan. Ibibili na lang namin ng bigas yan.' Sabi ng mga taga-doon: 'Sige na, mag umpisa na kayo.' Lahat ng kailangan bayaran, tinanggihan ko eh. Kasi pag nag practice ka diyan, P30 tapos dalawang oras 'yon. Babayaran mo din 'yung coach, may membership fee, tapos ang training, five thousand sa isang buwan," he explained.

Once he started training at Rizal Memorial, Yulo began to separate himself from the pack in terms of his talent. Mang Boy eventually came to believe that his grandson could compete and make a name for himself at the grassroots level.

"Sinasabi sakin ng mga expert na noon sa gymnastics, ang galing ng apo mo. Pinupuri nila si Caloy eh, kaya nakita ko rin na magaling si Caloy. Puring puri siya ng mga coaches," he said.

Enter teacher Ezra Canlas.

"In-introduce siya noon sa akin ni Mang Boy. Nagte-training na siya nung Grade 1, tapos Grade 2, pumunta sa akin at sinabi sa akin na: 'Ma'am, i-handle mo naman 'yung mga alaga ko, 'yung mga apo ko," shared Canlas, who, aside from gymnastics, also handled the student-athletes of badminton, lawn tennis, taekwondo, and gymnastics at the Aurora A. Quezon Elementary School.

"'Di ka magsisisi. Magagaling 'yan,' sabi niya."

"Hindi agad ako ganun naniwala, so sabi ko lang na sige tignan natin. As a coach, ako 'yung nag-aayos ng mga papers ng mga bata. Mga birth certificates, Form 137s, mga parental consents, tapos 'yung pag payag ng mga teachers to join the competition kasi malalayong lugar 'yun eh," added Teacher Ezra.

Caloy soon proved himself worthy of his lolo's endorsement.

"Nakitaan ko na talaga ng potential si Caloy during our NCR meets, Palarong Pambansa, and 'yung mga Milo Olympics kasi ang galing niya. Ang kalaban niya doon buong Philippines, pero 'yung skills niya kakaiba, at tiyaka 'yung determination niya to win andoon na, elementary pa lang siya," she said.

"Dati kasi, dalawang competition palagi — National Finals ng Little Olympics and Palarong Pambansa. Lahat ng nakalaban niya sa Little Olympics, 'yun din ang kalaban niya sa Palaro. Tapos kuha niya lahat ng gold, kaya sabi ko: 'Ay, talagang may potensyal 'to.' Alam kong malayo ang mararating niya, mabigyan lang ng magandang training."

Even as a young athlete, Yulo already had a different mentality. Teacher Ezra saw that the young Carlos was hard on himself when it came to training and preparations.

"Rigid ang training niyan, lalo na pag may competition kami. Hindi kami sa loob ng Rizal Memorial, sa labas kami, sa track oval, para ma-prepare ang mga paa nila. Tapos, ang gymnastics kasi kailangan magu-upgrade ka ng skills, si Caloy, talagang perfectionist and risk-taker. Talagang pine-perfect niya 'yung skills at 'di niya tinitigilan hanggat 'di niya nakukuha," she recalled.

Aside from the natural talent that Yulo already possessed, what really made him stand out for Teacher Ezra were his intangibles.

"Tutok siya sa training at pursigido. Talagang naka-focus palagi," said Canlas. "May routine. Ganitong oras dapat mag-start, ganitong oras tapos na 'yung training, ganon. May schedule siya sa sarili niya every day. Bata pa lang siya, disiplinado na siya. Easy to manage."

"Bilang estudyante, napaka-tahimik niyang bata. Sumasagot naman sa klase, average student, pero taliwas nga eh. Kung gaano siya katahimik sa klase, sa gymnastics naman, maingay. Pero makikita mo talaga na tutok siya. Naka focus talaga," she added.

"’Yung mga kasabayan niya, hindi ganun ka-focused sa training. Si Caloy hindi ganun. Kahit may sakit yan, diretso training yan," she continued.

Also witnessing Yulo's prowess at a young age was Ken Rodriguez, a childhood friend and a former teammate of the now two-time Olympian.

"Nung bata pa kami, nagkakilala lang din kami dito, laking eskinita lang din," he said.

"Hindi rin maarte si Caloy eh. Pag ididikit mo kami — ang puti kasi eh, ako maitim lang noon — pero walang kaarte-arte si Caloy, talagang mabait," quipped Ken, who now works as an office assistant at the Lyceum of the Philippines University in Manila.

"Nung una, hindi namin inakala na makaka-compete siya sa malalaking event. Siya, 'di niya rin siguro inakala na makaka-compete siya kagaya ng Olympics at World Gymnastics. Basta ang alam lang namin, kung saan lang kami masaya, tumbling tumbling lang, nag enjoy lang kami, at napamahal na rin."

Their paths diverged in high school, as Ken opted to focus on his studies. Looking back on the choices he made, Rodriguez acknowledged the sacrifices that it took for his friend to continue with gymnastics -- and how it can be too much for a teenager.

"Nag tuloy siya, ako hindi. Nag-aral na lang ako muna, at nahirapan na rin siguro ako sa training. Andoon kasi 'yung hirap at sacrifice, tapos hindi ko madama 'yung buhay na bata ka lang talaga," Rodriguez admitted.

"Siya kasi, nagustohan niya talaga. Na-disiplina rin talaga siya," added Ken, who then joined the Universidad de Manila's cheerleading team.

Someone who saw an early indication of Yulo's potential -- as well as that of his cousin and eventual 2023 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Ivan Cruz -- was former Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) Secretary-General Daniel Lopez.

"Sila ang nag-predict na kaya ni Caloy. Sixteen na bata diyan ang pinasok ko, pito ang apo ko. Sabi ng dating Secretary-General Lopez: 'Malay natin, 'yung mga batang public school na 'yan, mag gold sa Olympics.' Iniisip ko ngayon, ang galing niyang mag-predict," said Mang Boy.

Another thing that also factored in Yulo's development, said Frisco, was how tenured coaches eventually noticed his apo and expressed their desire to train him further.

"Napaka swerte din ni Caloy na ang gagaling ng mga napupunta sa kaniyang coach. Once nakita nila si Caloy, nagpe-presenta sila na sila na ang magturo kay Caloy. Si Coach [Ricardo] Otero, SEA Games medalist," bared Mang Boy.

"Kaya tingin ko, swerte si Caloy dahil lahat ng napupunta sa kaniyang coach magagaling. Lalo na nung napunta siya kay Coach Mune."

Yulo was 16 years old when he got the attention of Munehiro Kugiyama, a well-known gymnastics coach in Japan. Both Mang Boy and Teacher Ezra acknowledged that it was under the Japanese coach's tutelage that Yulo began to realize his true potential -- turning him from a national phenomenon into a certified international star.

"Ang last na Palaro niya is first-year high school, at doon siya nakitaan ng potential ni Coach Mune. 'Yun 'yung way kaya mas na-discover siya," said Canlas.

"Sumulat ang Japan dito sa Pilipinas na ini-invite tayo na sumali sa mga international competitions. Kahit daw maliit na bansa ang Philippines, may potential daw na manalo yan. Nagkaroon sila ng program na ganon, at napili si Caloy na pumunta doon," detailed Frisco of how his grandson was sent to the Land of the Rising Sun in 2016.

Already a winner under former mentor Aldrin Castañeda — with Yulo having bagged medals in competitions in the likes of the ASEAN School Games and Pacific Rim Championships — he entered new heights with Coach Mune as upon entering the seniors' division, he won his first major medal – a bronze in the 2018 World Artistic Gymnastics' floor exercise in Doha.

This meant that Yulo became the first-ever Filipino and Southeast Asian to win a medal at that level.

It turned out to be a mere prelude to the heights that Yulo will reach with Coach Mune guiding him.

In the following year, Carlos leaped from his podium finish in his debut and soared to gold in the same tournament and event, making him the first Filipino gymnast to become a World Champion. And together with this breakthrough was an equally, if not, more prestigious feat – Yulo earning a spot in the pandemic-delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo – as he also advanced to the 2019 tourney's all-around finals.

But the Summer Games in 2021 served as an eye-opener for the young Filipino gymnast, who fell well short of expectations in Japan. Touted as a medal hope for Team Philippines, Yulo did not even make the finals in floor exercise -- his pet event -- and salvaged a fourth-place finish in vault.

"Siguro nung 2021, 'di rin po ako ganun ka-confident sa sarili ko," admitted Yulo. "'Di ko pa masyadong kilala 'yung sarili ko, bago pa lang po sa mga ganung exposure. So kailangan ko pa po noon tanggapin kung saan ako mahina, san malakas, at mag focus sa personality ko bilang atleta at bilang tao outside sa sports."

Still, despite not being able to win a medal in Tokyo, Yulo took all the setbacks like a champion, said Teacher Ezra.

"Si Caloy kasi 'yung tao na tumatayo mag-isa. Ina-analyze niya kung saan siya nagkamali. 'Okay lang 'yun,' ganun siya. 'Anyway, first-time ko lang naman.' Tapos lagi niyang sinasabi na 'di siya magaling," she said.

It's a mindset that she advised the athlete to try and change, according to the teacher.

"Kasi 'pag 'yun ang nag stick sa mind mo, 'di ka talaga gagaling. Kung ano 'yung sinasabi mo, 'yun ang mangyayari. Kaya sabi ko na baguhin mo 'yung mindset mo na: 'Kaya mo.' Lagi niyang sinasabi niya: 'Ma'am hindi, ang dami pang magaling sa akin.' Pero dito talaga sa Philippines, junior pa lang yan, siya na 'yung angat sa mga senior," added Canlas.

Nonetheless, Teacher Ezra could see that Yulo's stint in Tokyo -- indeed his whole stay in Japan -- took a toll on the young star.

"Napanghinaan na yan dati ng loob nung 'di siya nanalo ng medal sa Tokyo," said Canlas of Caloy, who also trained in Japan with his siblings Karl Eldrew and Eliza Andriel until he parted ways with Coach Mune in late 2023. "Dumating siya sa point na ayaw niya na. Na-home sick, at may language barrier."

"Pero sinabi niya sa sarili niya na pagdating ng Paris Olympics, magkaka-medal ako. 'Yun ang mindset niya."

Before his second shot at an Olympic medal, Yulo had the whole 2022 to 2023 to prepare.

Caloy successfully bounced back from his stint in Tokyo over that span and bagged numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals across the World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the SEA Games.

A bump in the road, however, was Yulo parting ways with Coach Mune in 2023.

After winning two titles in floor exercise and vault, and multiple golds in the World Cup, the Asian Championships, and in the SEA Games under his tutelage, Carlos opted to end his training under the Japanese coach before the World Gymnastics Championships that year due to personal differences.

"I felt so bad for him because in Tokyo, they are so strict and disciplined, and he's not used to that," said GAP President Cynthia Carrion, citing some factors that Yulo had to deal with while training there. "But he had to do those."

Adding more insult to injury, he was also not able to clinch a medal in the World Championships in Antwerp as he suffered a fall in the qualifiers, and this resulted in him not being able to advance to the Finals of the event he previously ruled in 2021.

Fortunately, a path to France still opened for the then-coachless Yulo as he came out as the highest-ranked athlete in floor exercise, and he made the most out of these glimmers of hope that eventually flew him to Paris.

"Masayang masaya, proud na proud [ako para kay Caloy]," said Teacher Ezra. "Pangarap niya yan eh, makatungtong ng Olympics, at manalo ng kahit anong kulay ng medal basta may maiuwi siya," she added.

But before he could shine in the City of Light, Yulo and Carrion first had to devise new ways for him to prepare for the Paris Games -- including a reunion with Castañeda as well as flying from one country to another to participate in camps with fellow gymnasts.

Carrion said choosing the countries was meticulous, as it needed to be worth Caloy's time, who by then, only sought to improve his craft.

"He went to England, with [Fil-British gymnast] Jake Jarman and all these English people, he went to Korea, he went to all these places with the best of the best. We chose the countries that had good athletes so he can learn from them," said Carrion, while also sharing how they still applied the teachings of Coach Mune whom she revealed that they have no bad blood with despite the split.

"We thanked Coach Mune. We went to the Japanese Olympic Committee and they told him: 'All you have to do now is just follow what he's taught you.' We thanked him, and we invited Coach Mune to Paris."

According to Castañeda, it was in their two-week stay in South Korea that Yulo sharpened the techniques that he needed for Paris -- particularly for the high bar.

"Nung January, pumunta kami ng Korea, so nag-training camp kami do'n. Ang gusto namin makuha dun is 'yung sa high bar, ano 'yung mga technique ba--paano 'yung skills na magandang gawin for Olympics," he said.

The coach added that while they learned several techniques, he and Yulo opted not to "use" everything.

Adjustments were key for Yulo and Castañeda, as they collaborated on the lessons and they devised their own game plan for the celebrated gymnast.

"So, nagkakilala kami [ni Jake Jarman], tapos nung nandoon na kami, humingi kami ng mga technique, pati sa coach niya, kung ano 'yung system ng training nila. So meron naman kaming natutunan do'n, pero hindi lahat in-absorb namin. So, meron kaming 'babaguhin natin 'to,'" Castañeda shared.

Yulo also greatly benefited from the tutelage of Australian judge Nedal Al-Yousef, who drilled into him the minute details that he needed to perfect in order to get the best score possible in the Olympics.

"We also got an Australian judge that can tell him: 'Carlos, you'll get deductions if you don't point your toes,' He was a judge, not a coach, but he was with us in Paris," said Carrion.

Once in Paris, Yulo was told not to go all out during the subdivision phase, which served as the qualifiers to the apparatus as well as the all-around final. Carrion stressed that the finals are what mattered -- and Yulo followed their advice to the letter.

"It was just all very well planned. In the all around, we told him, 'Carlos, don't give it all. Just be in the finals. When you're in the finals--that's when you show it all'," the GAP chief recalled.

But more than the physical preparations for the sporting events, Castañeda asked something from Carrion and Rowena Bautista-Eusuya, Deputy Secretary-General of GAP, during the build-up for the Paris Olympics.

It was about shutting down the stress and negativity around Yulo so the athlete could focus on the Games.

And any athlete would ask for less distractions so that they could give their best in any competition.

"Nakausap ko sila Ma'am Rowena, Ma'am Cynthia, sabi ko, 'hindi ko bibigyan ng stress, 'wag na muna natin bigyan ng stress si Caloy for the six weeks lang.' Hindi talaga maiwasan, merong negative, so hindi namin in-entertain yon," he said.

Before entering the Games, as they did their final evaluation, Castañeda instilled another motivation in Carlos.

Its purpose was to lessen the pressure on the gymnast -- treating his performance during the evaluation as the Olympic stage, and handling the Games as the evaluation -- so Yulo wouldn't succumb to his nerves.

“Kay Caloy, sabi ko, 'Caloy, itong evaluation natin, isipin natin Olympics na 'to.' Tapos pagdating ng laro, isipin natin na evaluation lang. Sinabi ko rin na i-enjoy lang natin 'yung laro,” he said.

“So maraming nagsabi na ang ganda ng performance niya, tapos 'yung mga aura daw namin, hindi siya stressed, cool lang ba.”

As the coach would recall, Yulo actually had a hard time in the vault apparatus – before the Olympic proper and during the qualification round.

"Like 'yung sinabi ni Caloy na vault talaga, nahirapan kami don', kasi 'yung landing kasi... parang hard landing talaga. Minsanan lang niya makuha 'yung skill na yon," said the coach.

"Pero before kami umalis [papunta] do'n, may evaluation kami dito. Nagawa namin lahat. Maganda 'yung performance niya. So pagdating namin do'n, bago, so adjustment din sa weather. 'Yung three weeks don, hindi niya nagawa [nang] maayos talaga 'yung vault. So paulit-ulit ko tinitingnan 'yung vault niya, 'yung sa qualification, tapos nung nag-training kami nung umaga bago 'yung Finals, sabi ko, 'Carlos, merong problema dito.' Sabi niya, 'ako rin coach tinitingnan ko rin maraming beses.' So ito ang kailangan natin talaga," said Castañeda as he relayed the challenges Yulo faced before the said gold medal match.

But those hurdles were meant to be surpassed, as Castañeda would eventually utter: "So 'yun, nagawa namin."

Castañeda hailed the generational talent that is Carlos Yulo.

"Nakita ko si Caloy na iba talaga 'yung talent niya. 'Pag binigyan mo siya ng conditioning, halimbawa bibigyan mo siya ng 10 reps lang, dadagdagan niya 'yon."

While in Paris, the mentor also saw a different side of Caloy – a heart for the poor.

Perhaps, growing in Manila keyed into this part of him. And for Castañeda, the double Olympic triumph was good karma for the kid from Leveriza.

“Meron din siyang heart para sa mga mahihirap. Kasi 'pag naglalakad kami do’n, meron siyang nakikitang mga pulubi, [binibigay niya] 'yung mga pagkain na ayaw niya kainin, at namimigay rin siya ng pera. Sabi ko, 'Galing mo, 'Loy ah. Baka ibigay talaga sa 'tin ni Lord 'yung panalo.'”

And the rest was history.

Sharing their expectations in the Paris Games, he said that they only asked for one gold. And Yulo already notched his breakthrough medal during the floor exercise final.

“Tumindig talaga balahibo ko. Alam mo, 'di ko in-expect talaga na dalawa ibinigay. So, first gold namin, talagang 'di napigilan ni Caloy. Talagang tuwang-tuwa siya,” Castañeda said.

En route to the vault finals, they underwent training again just to keep his condition up.

Yulo, reeling from the events from the previous final round, shared to coach Aldrin that he was, at that time, feeling heavy.

“So, meron pa kaming vault finals. Sabi ko, 'anong pakiramdam mo, 'Loy?' Sabi niya, 'mabigat coach pero kaya naman.' So nag-training muna kami in the morning, then meron kaming--sa warm up hall, meron kaming training din do’n.”

And during his second gold medal event, Yulo persevered by not just doing the minimum – he excelled big-time.

“Sabi niya, 'Kaya, coach.' So, tinira namin one or two, ready na tayo. Nung tinira niya nung first vault, gulat ako maganda. Sobrang ganda. Ta's 'yung deduction niya .5 something. So sabi ko, 'malaking chance, malaki.'”

“Ta's second vault niya, medyo marumi konti kasi nag-step siya. So nag-[15.116] kami.”

As they waited for the conclusion of the second vault – the scores in total – coach Aldrin kept Carlos calm, sealing the jitters flowing and also told him to smile.

Castañeda also revealed that Armenia's Davtyan made them nervous: “So 'yung last performer, magaling din, e.”

And at those moments, Carlos and Aldrin – the tandem we did not expect to need – were about to learn about their glorious fates on the Olympic stage.

“Waiting kami, waiting. Sabi ko, 'chill lang tayo, 'Loy a. Dapat 'di tayo nakasimangot.'”

And on that night, the Philippine National Anthem was played two days in a row in Paris, France – to the delight of all Filipino fans who stayed up late at night, witnessing Yulo be the king of Philippine sports, Olympic edition.

“So 'yun ang pangalawang gold namin. Sobrang saya talaga. Pasalamat ako sa Panginoon na ito 'yung narating namin,” Castañeda exclaimed.

Davtyan settled for silver, listing 14.966 after two vaults.

Meanwhile, for Carrion, watching Yulo step to the top of the podium not once but twice was the culmination of years of preparation, of healing from heartbreak, and of motivational speeches. His road to Paris had not been easy, as Carlos considered quitting the sport he loved due to setbacks. But Carrion -- whom the phenom from Leveriza considers his second mother -- was there to push Caloy back on track.

Carrion deeply believes that all Yulo needs is a little reminder -- and she is there to provide it for her athlete.

"I have 16 years in the making for this little boy that has become a man. I'm so proud of him because he's really, really worked hard. He wanted to quit lots of times and I begged him not to," said Carrion.

"And he listened to me. For this, I really am grateful. I told him, 'don't quit, Carlos, because you're already there.'"

Being a double Olympic champion was previously unheard of. It even took decades for the Philippines to win just one gold in iconic weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.

But now, Yulo defied all odds and won two gold medals in the Summer Games.

Celebrations poured in for the "Golden Boy," to which Carrion compared to honoring boxing's only eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.

"It's been overwhelming. I never imagined that it's gonna be like this. It's like Manny Pacquiao and maybe even better than Manny," Carrion claimed.

“I love the way the Filipino people are loving him and he deserved it because you don't know how we went through.”

Cash, incentives, benefits, name it–those were all poured into Carlos’ pocket after the Golden Boy’s victory.

One of the first to incentivize Carlos after his success was the government sector, bannered by the Office of the President with P20 million, the House of Representatives with P14 million, the Philippine Senate with P3 million, the city government of Manila with P2 million, P10-million each gold under Republic Act No. 10699, and several other politicians such as Manny Pacquiao and Chavit Singson.

Megaworld gave the nation's golden hero a P32-million three-bedroom condominium unit in Taguig, Century Properties also allotted a P6-million house and lot in Nasugbu, Batangas, and the Philippine Olympic Committee also had a house for the champ.

Yulo also received "150,000 Mabuhay Miles" per year for life from the Philippine Airlines, 28 domestic and international flights from Cebu Pacific, a Land Cruiser Prado from Toyota Motor Philippines, a Chery Tiggo 7 Pro SUV from Chery Auto Philippines, and lifetime free products and services from several brands.

Sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan also gave the Golden Boy a P10-million reward. Other brands such as Chooks-to-Go handed out cash to the Manila native.

And the good thing about these rewards? These are tax-free, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

In a statement, the BIR said Section 32(B)(7)(d) of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) states that all prizes and awards granted to athletes in local and international sports tournaments and competitions held in the Philippines or abroad and sanctioned by their respective national sports associations shall be exempt from income tax.

A Filipino athlete has reached the top of the world in gymnastics -- not a sport that is usually associated with the country

But thanks in large part to Carlos Yulo, the interest in the sport is booming. Much like Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz did for weightlifting, Yulo has opened doors to another discipline where Filipinos can excel.

The best part for Yulo is that he is far from done. Already, the gymnast has expressed his determination to compete in the Los Angeles Summer Games in 2028, where he will most likely once again be one of the country's best hopes for a medal.

But will he be alone? Or will he have a team by his side, as Carrion has repeatedly said?

"We have four years to plan, and we need to train three more to make a team," said the GAP President, who also has the likes of Yulo's cousin Ivan, Miguel Besana, Ace De Leon, Jan Timbang, and John Matthew Vergara in the men's, and young studs like Elaiza Yulo and Charli Manzano in the women's side.

"We have the sister of Carlos, and we have Charlie Manzano, they are very good, we have good ones. I'm also going to get coaches for them," she said.

It took many years, many people, and more than a little luck for Yulo to make the leap from Leveriza to Paris. Will four years be enough for GAP -- and other stakeholders of Philippine sports -- to find another talent of Yulo's caliber, and develop them enough that they can carry the country's colors in Los Angeles?

"Maraming support system bago mo ma-create 'yung isang champion," emphasized Teacher Ezra.

"Ang nakikita ko, kailangang i-upgrade 'yung training facilities. Then siguro dagdagan at mag hire pa ng foreign coaches, or 'yung mga coaches natin dito, um-attend ng training pa para ma-upgrade pa 'yung skills lalo ng mga bata."

"Si Caloy kasi, 'yung skills niya na-polish ni Coach Mune. So sana dito, aside from training facilities, i-train din 'yung mga coaches at makuha 'yung mga new trends sa gymnastics," added Canlas.

"Sa experience ko, 'yung mga hawak ko ngayong grassroots, 'yung iba walang pang bayad sa gym kaya nagii-stop na lang. 'Yung iba dito nagti-tiyaga, pero 'di mo kasi pwedeng i-risk 'yung mga paa at mga kamay nila. Pag nabalian yan, wala na. Kailangan talaga merong mga training facilities na matatawag namin na para sa mga batang Manilenyo."

Carrion admits that it will take a lot of work -- including uplifting the grassroots program in gymnastics to find more athletes to train and develop. It's a task that cannot be accomplished by one person, or even by one agency. As early as now -- with the country still basking in Yulo's triumphs -- the GAP chief is already calling for more support.

"With a good coach coaching them, with good motivation, good finance, and good food, we can do it. But we need support from the public sector, not only the private sector, the government. I think they know that all the money that comes to gymnastics is useful. We don't get any money from it, it all goes to the athletes — all of them," pointed out Carrion.

"I have a hundred children who want to be like Carlos, and I think that the Speaker of the House gave me some money to train the grassroots. Japan, they gave me free equipment for the grassroots, and unfortunately, the [Typhoon Carina] flood broke it. That's where I can notice who are the best ones so I can get them trained more and put our money into them."

And while all of Yulo's hard work has paid dividends, his mentor in his youth -- Teacher Ezra -- believes that the next generation of athletes should be treated much better and not have to go through the circumstances that Caloy did.

"Nakita naman natin kung gaano siya naghirap sa Japan, so sana may support pa from the government. Nakita naman natin, napatunayan niya na, naka-produce na tayo ng gold medalist," she pointed out.

"’Yung gold medal na yan, maraming nag tulong-tulong para makamit yan, pero siya pa rin 'yun. 'Yun din 'yung nagpatatag din kay Caloy, 'yung mga hirap na na-experience niya," she added.

And if there is one wish that she has for her former student, it is for Caloy to be able to realize his dream of competing with a bigger Philippine contingent in the Olympic Games.

"Hopefully, makasama mo na 'yung mga kapatid mo, pinsan mo na si Ivan, at 'yung Team Philippines na gustong-gusto mong makasama," Teacher Ezra said.

Carlos Yulo's dream of glory on the world's biggest sporting stage has come true, and it has even sparked a nation's dream of producing more top-notch athletes who can possibly follow the Golden Boy's path.

"Sobrang saya ko po kasi gusto ko po talagang lumawak 'yung gymnastics sa Pilipinas at makilala 'yung Pilipinas sa larawan ng gymnastics sa international kaya sobrang saya ko po talaga nung maraming mga bata na ang gustong sumali at sumubok sa gymnastics," Yulo raved.

"Before: 'What is gymnastics?' Nobody knew gymnastics," Carrion said. "But now, everybody wants to be a gymnast, even Filipinos abroad — Fil-Ams, Fil-Canadians, Fil-British — they want to be a part of Philippine Gymnastics, but my priorities are homegrown."

The challenge now shifts to stakeholders of Philippine sports to fulfill more of his dreams -- dreams of repeated success, and a brighter future for Philippine gymnastics where more Carlos Yulos can soar and tumble their way into history.