Yulo hands-down choice for 2024 Athlete of the Year at PSA Awards

MANILA, Philippines — Carlos Yulo made everything moot and academic.

The human dynamo gymnast made history as the first ever Filipino athlete to win two gold medals in the Olympics in a fitting exploit celebrating the country’s century of participation in the Summer Games.

Yulo, 24, scored the rare double gold by topping the men’s floor exercise and vault, respectively, leading the Philippines to a feat the country has never done before in the annals of the quadrennial showcase.

For such a breakthrough accomplishment, this one was a no-brainer as Yulo was the overwhelming choice as the 2024 Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in its coming Awards Night on January 27 at the grand ballroom of the Manila Hotel.

Yulo became the first gymnast since young Pia Adelle Reyes in 1997 to be recognized as Athlete of the Year by the country’s oldest media organization in its traditional gala night backed by San Miguel Corporation and co-presented by ArenaPlus, Cignal and MediaQuest.

Aside from the Athlete of the Year, several awards are also lined up during the formal presentation where the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, PLDT/Smart, Sen. Bong Go and Januarius Holdings serve as major sponsors and with support from the PBA, PVL, 1-Pacman Party-list, AcroCity, Rain or Shine and Akari.

The NSA of the Year, Major Awardees in other sports, President’s Award, Executive of the Year, Citations, Tony Siddayao Awards, as well as the Hall of Fame and Special Recognition to Filipino Olympians — the Paris Olympics and Paralympics included — will be handed out in the event recognizing the best in Philippines sports for the year 2024.

“From a great Olympic performance to an even greater Olympic show, and from one big breakthrough to an even bigger breakthrough — thanks to Carlos Yulo whose giant feat we will celebrate in handling him our highest accolades,” said PSA President Nelson Beltran, sports editor of The STAR, of recognizing the Filipino gymnast with the highest individual honor by the country’s sportswriting community.

Yulo’s triumph was a fitting follow-up to weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz ending the country’s search for its first Olympic gold during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she triumphed in the women’s 55kg class final in dramatic fashion.

Ironically, it was in the same Japanese capital where the gymnast from Leveriza, Manila had his first taste of Olympic competitions, eventually only qualifying in the men’s vault final and falling short of a podium finish.

Four years later, Yulo was back with vengeance in his eyes.

After a disappointing finish in the floor exercise in the Tokyo Games, Yulo emerged on top of his pet event by compiling a scoring total of 15.000 points, beating reigning champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel (14.966) for the Philippines’ first gold in Paris.

The euphoria of becoming the first Filipino gymnast to win an Olympic gold has yet to die down when Yulo added another mint to his collection by ruling the men’s vault final with a 15.116 total over Arthur Davtyan of Armenia (14.966).

By rewriting history, Yulo lined himself up as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Filipino athletes of all time.