The championship of Carlos Yulo in world gymnastics is inspiring and instructive.
His dominance at the men’s floor exercise in the 2024 Olympics is meaningful because at 24, Yulo embodies the discipline, tenacity, and passion acquired since at the age of seven, when his grandfather, Rodrigo Frasco, saw him perform consecutive tumbles at a playground in Manila.
Born in Leveriza Street, Malate, Yulo grew up watching gymnasts practice and compete at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate. His two younger siblings are also gymnasts.
Frasco brought his grandson to the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP). At the age of seven, Yulo started to train.
While in elementary, Yulo was training for the Philippine National Games as a member of the gymnastics team of the National Capital Region.
Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo also started young and worked to attain her dreams. The holder of two Olympics records in weightlifting—winning the silver in the 2016 Summer Olympics and the gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics—tried to excel in basketball and volleyball before a cousin introduced her to weightlifting.
The fifth of six children, Diaz-Naranjo initially trained with her cousins. A cousin was her first coach. According to online sources, she used barbells improvised with magwheels and concrete.
She sold vegetables and fish and washed jeepneys to earn fare money to go to a local gym. At the age of 13, Diaz-Naranjo became a member of the Philippine national weightlifting team.
Yulo and Diaz-Naranjo underscore the potential talents to be supported and sustained at the grassroots, emphasizing the importance of developmental programs for youths in the community to receive training and support while meeting their needs to attain an education and security for themselves and their families.
Stakeholdership is crucial for sports, especially because many with potentials come from families of modest means.
For many youths, prowess in athletics opens opportunities to self-improve through education.
Yulo was assisted by the GAP for his secondary education, and by a scholarship from the Japan Olympic Association to study in Tokyo and graduate with an associated degree in literature.
While in elementary, Diaz-Naranjo joined the extension program of the University of Zamboanga to train in a weightlifting program of the Institute of Human Kinetics.
By competing in various local and national elections and earning distinctions, Diaz-Naranjo was able to secure government support.
Scholarships and educational support for athletes must be balanced with programs that help athletes strike a balance with their studies, training, and competition.
Day-to-day expenses, such as fare and meal allowances, board and lodging, and expenses to support studies and training, are considerable, even for athletes who have the personal means or scholarships.
Among Filipino athletes, for whom the primary challenges are focused on the basics for studies, training, and survival, one’s wellbeing and mental health are rarely prioritized.
The multi-awarded American gymnast Simone Biles emphasizes that her stellar 2024 Olympics comeback is built on years of investing in therapy and mental health work.
Biles has been outspoken of the toll on athletes’ physical and mental resources, not just from competitors, coaches, and supporters.
For many athletes on scholarships, the daily struggles to pass academics or cope with personal challenges from family and peers are rarely acknowledged as requiring assistance or support.
Before we overwhelm our youths with the highest expectations of bringing honor to the country, we should take a realistic look at our communities and support those with dreams to be attained through athletics and other sports.