By Riera U. Mallari
PARIS (Via PLDT Home) — He charges toward the center of the mat and launches himself skyward, his body twisting and turning in a breathtaking display of athleticism and grace. A controlled descent follows, as he lands with impeccable precision, his form as perfect as the execution.
After his flawless display that got him a 6.600 from difficulty and 8.400 from execution for a stunning 15.000 score, Carlos “Caloy” Yulo pumped both his fists, saluted the fans and touched his heart as a gesture of thanks to an adoring crowd that included his girlfriend Chloe Anjeleigh San Jose.
Caloy knew in his heart he did something magical.
For himself, for country and for the love of his life.
“Mahaaaaaal!” screamed the pretty lady clad in elegant black several feet away from the center mat, the lights bouncing off her silky, porcelain skin and blonde hair, her cheers drowned by the chorus of applause and salutations from all over Bercy Arena.
Caloy may have never heard her cheers, but he knew she was there in the stands, proud of his achievement as the Philippines’ first ever gymnastics’ gold medalist in the Olympic Games, where the country has never won in 97 years, until weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz delivered one in the pandemic-hit Tokyo games in 2021.
Lovers in Paris
Caloy and Chloe’s love story began in 2020 – a long-distance relationship that grew even stronger even though they were thousands of miles apart. Because it was the era of the pandemic, they contented themselves with their constant video calls and IG messages and TikTok posts, both declaring their love and support for each other.
When the situation eased down in 2022, Chloe, a content creator based in Australia, flew all the way to Hanoi, Vietnam to support Caloy in the Southeast Asian Games.
And it has been like that ever since. Chloe, the ever supportive girlfriend, joining Caloy whenever he has a big tournament.
In the Paris games alone, over P100,000 was spent for Chloe’s game tickets.
Man on a mission
It is no secret that Caloy’s strength lies in the floor exercise and vault. After all, he was once a world champion of both.
On Saturday, Caloy buried the heartbreak of his past Olympic show with a performance that dazzled the entire arena and uplifted the spirits of his weary nation as he captured the gold medal in the men’s floor exercise.
The 24-year-old Filipino gymnast, who was eliminated from final contention in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, where everyone expected him to win, delivered a flawless routine this time, culminating in a perfectly executed three-and-a-half twist dismount that left the crowd’s mouths agape in amazement.
When Caloy’s score flashed at 15.000 as the finale’s third performer, Chloe let out a scream, as if to announce to the world – that’s my man. Caloy would set the pace from there, until the score of the final gymnast on the mat, Great Britain’s Luke Whitehouse flashed side by side with Caloy’s — 15.000 to 14.466.
Gold!
By this time, Chloe, engulfed by emotion, was already shaking, tears rolling down her cheeks. Word spread fast that she was Caloy’s significant other, and so a small crowd of fans stood and clapped around her, further drowning her in tears.
“Hindi ko na po alam ang sasabihin ko, sobrang nakikilig pa din ako, thank you God and thank you po sa family ko na super supportive sa amin ni Caloy,” said Chloe.
As the Philippine national anthem was played for the first time –and hopefully not the last – in the Paris Olympics, the 4’11” Caloy stood the tallest at centerstage, his hand in his chest and his heart beating for that particular woman in the stands. In this moment of glory, he stands not alone, but entwined with her spirit, a testament to their shared journey and the power of their bond.
After all, Caloy Yulo found something more powerful than an Olympic gold medal – the affection of the woman he loves.
