Filipino Olympian Wins Two Golds, But Headlines Focus on Feud with Mum

Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo won two historic gold medals at the Paris Olympics. Instead of his achievements being celebrated, the focus has shifted to a feud with his mother.

Yulo became only the second athlete from the Philippines to win an Olympic gold medal, clinching the floor event in the men’s artistic gymnastics competition. He followed this with a second gold in the vault event the next day.

However, the disagreement with his mother, Angelica Poquiz-Yulo, has dominated the media coverage. She reportedly managed her son’s finances and disapproved of his girlfriend, who is a TikTok content creator.

This family tension first came to public attention after his mother gave an interview to a local radio station on the same day he won his second gold medal. In the interview, she denied managing her son’s finances, stating that she deposited his money in a bank in Manila after receiving it on his behalf.

Two days later, Yulo responded with a video on TikTok publicly questioning his mother about the whereabouts of his prize money, saying he never received the sum. He also defended his girlfriend, asserting that she was not a “red flag” and criticized his mother for her judgment.

In the TikTok video, reported by the BBC, Yulo said: “My message to you Ma, is I hope you heal and move on. I have forgiven you a long time ago. I pray that you are always safe and sound.”

Yulo is set to receive 20 million pesos (£273,000) from the Philippine government, and additional corporate sponsorship is also likely.

In response to the TikTok video, Poquiz-Yulo held a press conference the next day. She expressed her concern about the situation escalating, stating, “This has reached an alarming level because now, the entire country is waiting for what each of us will say next, when this matter should have been kept private.”

She added, “I am not a perfect mother and God knows that you are not a perfect son. There is no perfect family.”

Source: BBC