MANILA, Philippines — Singaporean President Tharman Shanmuragatnam on Thursday could not contain his admiration for gymnastics champion Carlos Edriel Yulo and praised him for carrying the whole of Southeast Asia on his shoulders with his "very impressive" output in the recently wrapped up Paris Olympics.
Yulo, although small in stature, delivered a gigantic performance in the men's floor artistic gymnastics and men's vault and rocked not just France but the whole world.
"There is just something very impressive about Filipino athletes. Mr. Yulo's two golds... he is the only athlete from Southeast Asian, from an Asean nation who's had two Olympic golds ever in any sport. So, it's a real milestone. It's a real milestone for all of us. I mean we shine a bit of the reflected glory of the Philippines," Shanmuragatnam, in Manila for a three-day state visit, told President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during their bilateral meeting in Malacañang.
In response, Marcos echoed his Singaporean counterpart and beamed with pride that the 24-year-old Olympic champion "comes from the City of Manila."
The chief executive likewise shared how Yulo and the other athletes came home to "a very overwhelming" welcome by Filipinos.
Marcos and the first family hosted the Olympians in the Palace for a dinner reception upon their arrival last Tuesday night. That was followed by numerous courtesy calls and public appearances highlighted by the grand parade last Wednesday which started at the Aliw Theater in Pasay City and wrapped up at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
"It was a really, really very happy day for the entire Philippines," he said, while also noting how he encouraged the other athletes who missed placing on the podium to keep going.
"I said 'you are all young. You can still compete for many years yet, so well done'. It gave everyone a boost," he added.
Yulo's double-gold outing gave him a windfall of incentives which include a three-bedroom fully-furnished condominium unit worth P32 million, lifetime free flights from two major Philippine carriers, business packages and shopping perks, and a luxury car, among others.
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