From the Rising Sun to a Rising Star

For seven years, Carlos Yulo, of Leveriza, Manila, trained in gymnastics in Tokyo, learning not just the language, but the impeccable discipline of the Japanese people. From the hardwood floors of the gym, training day in and day out, he has risen like the golden sun to become the best that he could be in the Paris 2024 Olympics, making history.

“Japan is really special to my heart,” double Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics Carlos Yulo said at ceremonies before a dinner hosted for him by Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya at the Japanese Embassy residence in Makati.

In his speech, Ambassador Endo proudly told Carlos, “Carlos, this night belongs to you as we honor the hard work and sacrifices you have made for the gold and your goals. May your two medals always remind you of the two countries you’ve made prouder and closer with your exceptional achievements.”

“Japan really helped me to push my gymnastics, and of course my personality as well,” said the polite and deferential Carlos.

“I’m really grateful for the people that I met there and all the things I learned like skosh their culture, how they speak, how they move. I’m really grateful for that,” added the soft-spoken Carlos.

(According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, skosh comes from the Japanese word sukoshi, which means “a tiny bit” or “a small amount.”) I suppose this means Carlos learned from the Japanese never to take anything in excess.

He said the things he learned in Japan played a crucial role in “all the wins that I have accomplished.”

Earlier, in a casual conversation before his speech, Carlos told me living in Japan also taught him to be punctual and disciplined. 

“I soaked it all up,” he shared.

 “It excites me to know that it was in Japan where Carlos further honed his mind and body into becoming a champion, through a scholarship that helped him on his winning path. As he remains a superb testament to our countries’ people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Japan is deeply honored to have helped shape him into the best version of himself and into one of the finest athletes the sport has seen.”

“In arguably the grandest competition on the world stage, Carlos captured the public’s imagination with his skillful maneuvers and agile turns,” Ambassador Endo pointed out.

Ambassador Endo also gave a pat on the back to “my fellow Japanese who supported Carlos during his training in Japan.” 

As Ambassador Endo paid tribute to Carlos’ “unwavering resolve” he also expressed hope “his story inspires more aspiring athletes to excel boldly, even in the face of trials.”