With Asian Games gold haul, Carlos Yulo completes career grand slam

Caloy joins weightlifting icon Hidilyn Diaz as one of the only Filipino athletes to complete this golden sweep.

We all know Carlos Edriel “Caloy” Yulo as our beloved golden boy, who made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics with two gold medals in floor exercise and vault. Beyond that historic Olympic run, Caloy has amassed a staggering medal haul on the global stage, the vast majority of them gold.

There was, however, one glaring missing piece in his collection—one he only recently clinched (to the surprise of many, including me): an Asian Games gold medal. But Carlos, being Carlos, simply winning one wasn’t enough. He went ahead and brought home two.

Carlos “Caloy” Yulo during the final of the floor exercise at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on September 24, 2026. Photo from POC Media Pool; banner photo from Picture by Toru Hanai for Getty Images

That double victory unlocked yet another history-making milestone for Caloy: a rare career grand slam of major international titles. By adding Asian Games gold to his collection, he has conquered every tier of elite competitive gymnastics available to him—the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Championships, Asian Games, and Southeast Asian Games.

In doing so, Caloy joins weightlifting icon Hidilyn Diaz as one of the only Filipino athletes to complete this sweep. Hidilyn achieved hers on December 8, 2022, when she dominated the women’s 55kg category at the 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships in Bogotá.

Hidilyn Diaz—the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist—has also achieved a career grand slam, securing gold at every major level of international weightlifting. Photo: Edgard Garrido for Reuters

For more discerning observers, another compelling narrative emerges alongside their monumental athletic feats: both athletes gained world renown in sports not traditionally associated with their gender in the Philippines. By breaking rigid stereotypes, Carlos proved that men can embody grace and fluidity, while Hidilyn proved that weightlifting can be a woman’s domain, too.

That said, in honor of Caloy’s newest achievement (there sure will be more to come!), let’s step into a quick walk-through of his extraordinary medal haul over the years.

Olympic Games

Medal Tally: 2 Gold

Who could forget Caloy’s double-gold victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics? *Caloy showed that true power isn’t just about brute force—it can also be about flexibility, grace, and precision.* Photo from Getty Images

The pinnacle of sporting achievement saw the pint-sized Caloy (at times lovingly called Sonny Angel by fans after the popular cute collectible) deliver a double-gold masterclass that captivated the world.

At the 2024 Summer Games held at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France, the Manila-born Yulo captured gold in both floor exercise and vault. With these two near-flawless, breathtaking routines, he became the first Filipino male Olympic gold medalist and the country’s first-ever double Olympic champion in a single Games.

World Championships

Medal Tally: 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze

*Caloy celebrates on the podium after capturing the bronze medal in the men’s parallel bars at the 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool, Great Britain, on November 6, 2022.* *Photo by Phil Noble for Reuters*

Before taking the Olympic stage by storm, Caloy established himself as a world-class apparatus specialist across multiple World Championship editions. He announced his arrival at the 2018 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, by claiming bronze in floor exercise, becoming the first Filipino to podium at the event.

He returned to make history at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, winning gold in floor exercise and becoming the first Southeast Asian champion.

Caloy continued his brilliance at the 2021 World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan, capturing gold in vault and silver in parallel bars before taking home silver in vault and bronze in parallel bars at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

He also added to his remarkable tally at the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, seizing gold in vault and securing bronze in floor exercise.

Asian Championships

Medal Tally: 11 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze

*Caloy beams after winning the men’s vault final at the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan, on October 24, 2021. Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon for Reuters*

Caloy’s reign on the continent has been nothing short of dominant, amassing a collection of titles at the Asian Gymnastics Championships. At the 2022 edition in Doha, Qatar, he swept gold in floor exercise, vault, and parallel bars, while earning a silver in the individual all-around.

He followed up at the 2023 Asian Championships in Singapore with another impressive haul, grabbing gold in floor exercise, vault, and parallel bars, silver in individual all-around, and bronze in still rings.

Caloy reached another milestone at the 2024 Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, winning his first-ever gold in the individual all-around alongside a sweep of gold medals in the floor exercise, vault, and parallel bars.

At the 2025 Asian Championships in Jecheon, South Korea, he secured his fourth consecutive floor exercise title, bringing his Asian Championships Gold tally to an unprecedented eleven.

Asian Games

Medal Tally: 2 Gold

After missing the podium during his debut as a teenager, Caloy completed his collection on the continental multi-sport stage with a golden double. He gained valuable experience at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta–Palembang, Indonesia, where he placed 7th in the individual all-around and floor exercise finals, and fourth in vault.

Fast forward to the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where he replicated his historic Paris triumph by winning gold in both floor exercise on September 24 and vault the day after, on September 25. The feat marked two milestones: delivering the Philippines’ first gold medals of the Games and its first-ever Asian Games gold in artistic gymnastics.

Southeast Asian Games

Medal Tally: 9 Gold, 9 Silver

What’s inside the box given to Olympic medalists?

*Caloy smiles after winning the men’s individual all-around gold medal at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 8, 2023. Photo by Chalinee Thirasupa for Reuters*

Caloy’s journey to global stardom began with sheer dominance at the regional level, where he quickly became one of the most decorated athletes in Southeast Asian (SEA) Games history.

At his home games, the 2019 SEA Games in Manila, he collected gold in the individual all-around and floor exercise, as well as silver in the pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar.

At the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, Caloy once again dominated with five gold medals in the individual all-around, floor exercise, still rings, vault, and parallel bars, accompanied by two silver medals in the team event and on the horizontal bar.

He had another stellar performance at the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, claiming gold in the individual all-around and parallel bars, alongside silver medals in the team event and still rings.

A bright future for Philippine men’s gymnastics

Looking ahead, Caloy’s sights remain firmly set on defending his Olympic wins at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Yet, as bright as his personal horizon shines, the story of Philippine artistic gymnastics is no longer just a one-man show. The future couldn’t be brighter, anchored by Caloy alongside two formidable teammates: his equally talented younger brother, Karl Eldrew Yulo, and vault specialist Juancho Miguel Besana.

*The Yulo brothers, Carlos (left) and Eldrew, during the Asian Games 2026 men’s gymnastics qualification round in Aichi-Nagoya.* *Photo from the POC Media Pool*

Eldrew has already made history as the first Filipino to medal at the 2025 Junior World Championships with two bronze medals, and snagged a Junior Asian Championship vault gold. The 18-year-old transitioned to the senior ranks with three FIG World Cup medals—a gold in floor exercise in Antalya, Turkiye, as well as bronze medals in floor exercise and horizontal bar in Cairo, Egypt—and an Asian Championship bronze in floor exercise in Zunyi, China.

On September 25, at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Eldrew proved once more he belongs on the biggest stages by capturing a bronze medal in the horizontal bar final.

*Karl Eldrew Yulo celebrates on the podium after capturing the bronze medal in the men’s horizontal bar final at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on September 25, 2026.* *Photo: Edgar Su for Reuters*

Meanwhile, Miguel has also proven his own elite pedigree, claiming bronze in vault and silver in the team event at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, and gold in vault and silver in the team event at the 2023 edition in Phnom Penh. He also clinched a bronze at the 2024 Pacific Rim Championships in California, and recently had an impressive top-five finish at the ongoing Asian Games.

*Juancho Miguel Besana claims the Gold in vault at the 2023 SEA Games and the Bronze in the same apparatus at the 2021 SEA Games. Photo from fastbreak.ph*

With Caloy leading the charge and Eldrew and Miguel right there beside him, Philippine men’s gymnastics is not just having a moment—it has proven it’s a true power on the global stage. And trust me, the rest of the world won’t be looking away anytime soon.

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