Carlos Yulo is in a tough spot as of now. On one hand, the 24-year-old is reveling in the history glory of his recent Olympic achievement. On the other, he’s stranded in a cross-fire with his family involving the handling of his financial accounts by his mother. However, at the end of the day, even the country’s first-ever male Olympic gold medalist cannot keep his family out of his thoughts.

Thanks to his towering feat in Paris, the Philippines is planning to send a male gymnastics team to the next Olympic Games. Naturally, Yulo wants his nation to shine as bright as it can on the grandest stage in the coming days, and he has a few words to share for the aspiring gymnasts from the archipelago, including his own younger brother.

Carlos Yulo imparts wisdom to his sibling

Yulo sat down with Rappler on September 1 to talk about how winning at the highest levels of the sport can be a time-consuming affair. In the same interview, the Olympian advised his brother Eldrew to stay focused on his goals, no matter what challenges come his way. Yulo emphasized that his younger sibling will need to undergo the same rigorous process he did to reach the peak of his physical abilities. “[Eldrew] will discover things in training,” said the two-time Olympic gold medalist, and he had more things to add.

“…it is hard to prepare and the process will take some time, just like what I went through,” Carlos cautioned his brother, underscoring the need to keep grinding even when things look grim. Interestingly, Eldrew is currently the same age as Carlos was when the latter left home to pursue his gymnastics dreams in Japan. Keeping that in mind, fans can be left wondering: is this a foreshadowing of another heartbreak waiting for Angelica Yulo?

Navigating through muddy waters

Over the past few days, the gymnastics community has been shocked to learn about the Yulo family drama. After hauling his golden hardware, Carlos made a startling revelation. He alleged that his mother Angelica mishandled his bank accounts, which led him to incur significant financial losses. “Apart from the incentives, my mom also had access to my bank account and my monthly allowances for gymnastics. When I finally got control of that bank account, I found out she had been draining it,” Yulo dropped the bomb and fans were justifiably flummoxed. However, the gymnast’s mother and former manager was quick to address the accusations.

“It was given to me. As a mother, I felt that my child might run out of money in the future,” Angelica told Bombo Radyo. The turmoil has only intensified since then, with Filipino business tycoon Chavit Singson stepping in to support the family through their struggles. With everything happening, do you think Carlos Yulo can still be a guiding voice for his younger brother? Or will the deep rift between their mother and the Olympian shatter the teenager’s dreams? Share your thoughts!