Winning medals

The whole country was in elation the past days, as its premiere gymnast lived up to his moniker as the “Golden Boy”. Carlos Edriel Yulo bagged two gold medals at the Olympic Games in Paris, France. Since the participation of the Philippines to the Olympics, this is a first time that an athlete garnered two medals at a period and gold medals at that. He is an epitome that constant hard work and even failure can get you to your dreams.

His journey was no overnight success. Yulo’s name was already popular since his stint as a student playing for the Palarong Pambansa games. He eventually made it to other bigger competitions such as the Southeast Asian games and the Asian games. We often saw him prepare in news reports, saying that he was aiming for the Olympics. It goes to show that manifestation can really lead you somewhere.

The gold medals around his neck are not just a point of success for the Philippines but a point to ponder for our leaders. You see, our athletes aren’t superstars that are given all the benefits and access to the training that they need. Most of them have to find suitable sponsors, those that can fund their entire attempt to win a medal. While we do have an Olympic commission, sometimes what they have at hand isn’t enough. An athlete needs a whole team with coaches, doctors, and therapists, among others. Their success is not singular but of many individuals rallying behind them.

Now that we have produced two gold medals, our legislators should look at the laws regarding our athletes. They should get all the support that they should have as they are also bringing the name of our country. I came across a funny meme comparing us to New Zealand. This country has a smaller population but has sent more athletes to complete. There must be something wrong with our system.

Yulo is also a reminder that we can all start somewhere. As for him, he started young and climbed all the way up until his success today. He is a perfect symbol that consistency, determination, and faith is the formula to a become champion. I cannot wait to see what programs our sports commission will have next for athletics and maybe other sports. We deserve to be known more than for being good singers on top of other stereotypes.

There are still four more years to go before the next Olympics. I hope that by this time, we are able to field more individuals who will be proud to represent the Philippines. The world of sports is very interesting; it’s a show of power and strength but at the same time a good way to foster camaraderie. Let’s start somewhere, maybe from the bottom working our way up to the ladder of success.