By Chang-Ran Kim and Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber
PARIS (Reuters) – Carlos Edriel Yulo produced a spectacular performance to win the men’s floor exercise final at the Paris Games on Saturday, earning Philippines their first-ever Olympic medal in gymnastics.
Yulo’s gold medal is also only the second-ever top prize won by the Philippines across both the Summer and Winter Games, and the first in the men’s category. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz struck gold in Tokyo three years ago.
“I don’t know what to say,” the 24-year-old, who just missed the podium at the Tokyo 2020 Games, said.
“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 also who supported me.”
Sticking most of his landings, Yulo punched the air with both fists after he finished his powerful, clean routine. He scored 15.000 points, edging out Tokyo champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel by just 0.034 of a point.
Top qualifier Jake Jarman of Britain settled for third, just 0.067 of a point adrift of the gold medal spot after committing small landing errors on his tumbles.
When the final score flashed on the big screen at Bercy Arena, Yulo, overcome with emotion, covered his face with his hands as he broke down in tears and collapsed to the ground.
Filipino athletes at the Paris Games have been promised a fully furnished, two-bedroom condominium in Taguig City if they win a gold medal.
Yulo said he was grateful for the reward, but that it was secondary to the world title he had just won.
“It’s just a bonus for me. And this is what really matters,” he said, clutching the medal around his neck.
“My hard work and the people who really helped me. I know my success is also their success… I’m happy that I won gold. And I also won a house,” he said, laughing.
Yulo, who trained for seven years in Japan due to a lack of opportunity back home, said he hoped his historic win would open the door for children in the Philippines to take up the sport.
“Hopefully gymnastics in the country will grow,” he said.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber, Karen Braun and Rory Carroll, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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