FOR winning two gold medals in the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics, the House of Representatives has conferred upon gymnast Carlo Edriel Yulo the Congressional Medal of Excellence, the highest award given to Filipino achievers in the fields of sports, business, medicine, science, and arts and culture.
Lawmakers adopted House Resolution (HR) No. 1864 introduced by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” D. Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-Jay” C. Suarez, Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, Minority Leader Marcelino C. Libanan, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos, and Tingog Partylist Reps. Yedda K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre.
“Caloy Yulo is truly one of the greatest Filipino athletes of all time, earning the country not only one but two gold medals in the Olympics. Ang kanyang tagumpay ay tagumpay ng bawat Pilipino, at napalaking karangalan ang kanyang hatid sa Pilipinas,” said Speaker Romualdez, the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives, after the plenary adopted the measure in consolidation with other resolutions.
“It is such an extraordinary feat that should be emulated by all of us. Hindi man lahat tayo ay Olympic material, pero tinuruan tayo ni Caloy Yulo na sa tamang pagpupursige ay maaabot din natin ang ating mga pangarap hindi lamang para sa sarili pati sa ating pamilya, komunidad at bansa,” he added.
Aside from the conferment of the Congressional Medal of Excellence, HR 1864 also congratulates Yulo, who clinched the gold medal in the men’s artistic gymnastics floor exercise and men’s vault apparatus during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics held at the Bercy Arena, Paris, France.
“Fondly called ‘Caloy’ by his family and friends, Carlos Edriel Yulo redeemed a remarkable victory and captured the gold medal in the floor exercise with a historic score of 15.000 points, dethroning Tokyo Olympic champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel and besting Jake Jarman of Great Britain,” the resolution read.
“The stellar routine performance of Carlos Edriel Yulo in the final vault events with a total score of 15.116 overtook Armenia’s Artur Davtyan and Great Britain’s Harry Hepworth,” it added.
Yulo was raised in Malate, Manila watching the country’s top gymnasts in Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, the place where he started his career at the age of eight by joining the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines.
“Before his feat in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Carlos Edriel Yulo was a gold medalist in the vault event at the men’s apparatus finals and a silver medalist in the parallel bars event during the 50th Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) Artistic Gymnastics World Championships,” the resolution said.
He also secured two gold medals and five silver medals during the 30th Southeast Asian Games held in the Philippines in December 2019, and he holds the record as the first Southeast Asian male and first Filipino gymnast to win a gold medal in the floor exercise event during the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships held in Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart, Germany.
“For his remarkable victory and exceptional performances at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics that brought great honor and glory to the country while showcasing the magnanimity of a Filipino athlete, Carlos Edriel P. Yulo deserves utmost recognition and commendation,” it continued.
Yulo will be furnished with a copy of the resolution.
