The Cebuano coaches behind Carlos Yulo's gold
As the country celebrates Carlos Edriel Yulo’s win in the ongoing Paris Olympics, attention is also on the Cebuano national team members who have been part of his success, like coach Allen Aldrin Castañeda whom the young athlete hugged shortly after the announcement of his golden finish.
Castañeda, second of seven children (his siblings, Allen Neil, Donna, Allen Keith, Darlene, Allen Basil, and Allen Miles are also former gymnasts) of the late Cebu gymnastic official Regina Castañeda and Norberto Castañeda of Brgy. Hipodromo, Cebu City, has always kept a low profile all this time.
That is why Yulo is well-identified with Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, having been under his wing for a long time.
Long before “Coach Mune”, however, there were at least three Cebuano coaches who have helped Yulo on his way towards achieving his Olympic dream—Ricardo Otero, Joel Panugalinog, and, of course, Castañeda.
“Kami rang tulo maoy nakagunit ni Caloy nga taga-Cebu, ang uban taga-Manila na,” Panugalinog said in an interview with The Freeman yesterday.
(Three of us are from Cebu—we handled/managed Caloy —the rest are from Manila.)
Panugalinog is the uncle of national skateboarder Motic Panugalinog of Brgy. Inayawan.
Panugalinog, Otero, and Castañeda were all former national gymnasts from Cebu who had also devoted their time to coaching, with Yulo as one of the many gymnasts they had passed their knowledge of the sport, especially since foreign training and coaches are very expensive.
Otero, a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist during his prime, molded Yulo’s love for gymnastics and made him a champion in the Palarong Pambansa before the latter got the opportunity to train abroad.
Panugalinog also helped Yulo when he was in the developmental pool of the country’s men’s artistic gymnastics.
“Actually, daghan mi nagtudlo ni Caloy mga former national team (members). Mga ka-teammates nako ang ubang nagtudlo nga naa sa gawas…. Ako mao ra sad pagbalik gikan sa abroad sad coaching gymnastics…. Kanang coach ni Caloy karon sa Olympics (Allen Aldrin Castaneda) ka-team na nako sa national team pa mi,” Panugalinog said.
(Actually, there are many of us from the former National Team who coached Caloy. My other teammates who also taught him are from abroad. When I went back from abroad, I also taught gymnastics. Caloy’s present coach at the Olympics (Allen Aldrin Castaneda), he’s my teammate at the National Team)
“I'm proud over his (Yulo) achievement. Every gymnast dream to be a champion. Caloy, a gifted child, learned very fast…. Maminaw ug humble nga bata. Daghan na sila among gitudloan. Ang usa iyang cousin gold medalist sa floor sa last SEA Games in Vietnam,” Panugalinog said.
(The kid listens, he is humble. There’s a lot of them we taught. His cousin is a gold medalist at the Floor Exercise at the last SEA Games in Vietnam.)
Yulo, he said, became a lot stronger under Coach Mune.
“Ang nagpakusog gyud ana niya si Coach Mune…. Nag-training na siya sa Japan under the supervision of Coach Mune, Japanese coach,” Panugalinog said.
(Coach Mune made him strong. Caloy trained in Japan under the supervision of Coach Mune, his Japanese coach.)
When Coach Mune and Yulo parted ways last year, it was Castañeda who filled the lack.
In a separate interview, Darlene said it was the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP), headed by its president Cynthia Carreon, that made the decision, based on Coach Mune’s recommendation.
She said Castañeda obliged, as part of his job as a national coach, and did what he can to give Caloy the needed support, including at the Olympics.
Castañeda was with Yulo in his junior years as a gymnast, when the Olympic gold medalist won in several international events, before coach Mune mentored him in 2016.
Now, Yulo had just made history as the first male Olympian to get the gold.
“Thank you, Lord!!!We made it!!!,” Castañeda posted on his Facebook.
As of this writing, Yulo was set to compete in the finals of the men’s vault.
This article originally appeared on The Freeman