Carlos Yulo made history at the Paris Olympics by becoming the Philippines’ first-ever male Olympic gold medalist—a proud moment for him and his former coach. Even after parting ways with Carlos,  Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya feels pride in the achievements of Carlos Yulo. Yulo’s standout performances at the Paris Games, where he bagged a double gold medal in the floor exercise and vault, have certainly exceeded expectations.

Kugimiya, who was present as part of the gymnastics delegation, watched with great satisfaction from the sidelines as Yulo triumphed and relished the emotional moment of the awarding ceremony. According to the coach, Yulo, who was a promising 13-year-old when they first crossed paths. He admitted to being over the moon as he watched Yulo take the gold.

Despite their split last year, Yulo has spoken highly of Kugimiya, acknowledging the coach’s significant role in shaping his success, including his world championships in 2019 and 2021. In a recent exclusive interview with Olympics.com, Yulo reflected on his struggles leading up to the Paris Olympics, offering new insights into his journey and the challenges he faced.

The past year has been anything but smooth sailing for Carlos Yulo. A stunningly poor performance during the World Championships in 2023 nearly derailed his Olympic aspirations, leaving him on the brink of having to find another way to secure a spot. On top of that, the split with his longtime coach sent him bouncing between training bases in Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and most recently, Great Britain. However, Yulo believes this tumultuous journey may have been just what he needed.

Reflecting on his experiences, Yulo described the year as a, “It’s been a rollercoaster of everything that’s happened to me,” Yulo reflected. “Those times made me stronger. I was able to meet the people I needed to meet. [Those times] taught me values not only in gymnastics but also in my personal life.” He is deeply grateful for the support he received, recognizing that his Olympic success is a direct result of that backing. Despite the triumphs in Paris, Yulo’s life has not been without its hurdles, notably a highly publicized feud with his mother that has also captured significant attention.

The mixed reception of Carlos Yulo’s return to the Philippines

Upon his arrival, in the Philippines following the Paris Olympics Carlos Yulo was welcomed with a celebration. Yet the joyous mood was dampened by a covered conflict between Carlos and his mother, Angelica. The tension became public on August 1 when Angelica reposted a news item supporting a Japanese gymnast who competed against Carlos, expressing her admiration for Japan.

Further scrutiny revealed past tensions, including a Facebook post from June where Angelica mentioned her children but notably excluded Carlos, stating in the comments that she had blocked him. The conflict reached new heights on August 4 when Angelica appeared on Bombo Radyo, accusing Carlos’ girlfriend, content creator Chloe San Jose, of exploiting her son and causing a rift between them.

She also revealed financial disputes, claiming she had deposited Carlos’ incentive money into a bank account intended for withdrawal after two years to avoid penalties, but admitted to using only a small portion. In response, Carlos posted a TikTok video revealing that his mother had drained his bank account and failed to disclose the full amount of incentives he was entitled to from the 2022 World Championships. Despite these revelations, he stated that he had forgiven his mother “a long time ago”.

On August 7, Angelica held a press conference expressing remorse and presenting herself as a concerned mother looking out for her children’s future. She acknowledged the imperfections in their family dynamics and expressed a desire to resolve the issues internally. Apart from all this, looking ahead, Yulo is already planning for LA 2028, determined to make further strides and target another gold medal in the next Olympic cycle.