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MASANTOL: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he will consult two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo to help the government come up with the needed reforms to improve the country’s sports program and produce more world-class athletes.
Marcos made the statement days after Yulo’s historic double-gold medal victory in men’s artistic gymnastics in the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics.
According to the President, the gymnastics sensation is the ‘best person’ to help the government improve its sports development program.
He added that he is studying what more incentives the Office of the President can offer Yulo as cash and other donations from various government and private institutions pile up for the gymnast wunderkind.
‘Pagka nagkita kami itatanong ko sa kanya kung ano pa ang maitutulong ng pamahalaan para mas dumami ang ating mga medalists sa Olympics (Once we meet, I’ll ask him what the government can do to produce more Olympic medalists),’ Marcos said.
‘At nadaanan niya lahat ‘yan (He exp
erienced it all). He went to the Tokyo Olympics. He has now won his two gold medals in the Paris Olympics. Kaya’t kung ano pa ang aming gagawin. Because alam naman natin itong mga atleta, hindi lang ang sarili ang kanilang iniisip kung ‘di pagandahin pa at maging mas maganda pa ang performance doon sa sport nila at sa buong sport ng Pilipinas (What else can we do? We know our athletes, they don’t just think of themselves but they also want to improve the performance of the Philippines in other sports),’ he added.
The President, likewise, expressed optimism that Yulo will continue to dominate in international competitions in the years to come.
‘Caloy Yulo, I think he will continue to (achieve) greater heights in sport dahil matagal na siyang world champion (he has been a world champion for a long time already),’ Marcos said.
‘And again, I think he will be the best person to ask what else it is that we can do,’ he added.
As of the latest tally, the Philippines has three medals in the Paris Olympics – two go
lds from Yulo and one bronze medal from Filipina boxer Aira Villegas.
The country is also assured of another medal, courtesy of Nesthy Petecio, who entered the women’s 57 kg. boxing semifinals. Petecio will be going up against Julia Szermeta of Poland on Aug. 8 (Thursday) at 3:30 a.m. (Manila time).
Source: Philippines News Agency
