Carlos Yulo wins men’s floor exercise at Asian Games in Nagoya
On September 24, 2026, at the Nagoya City General Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan, Philippines gymnast Carlos Yulo won the men’s floor exercise final at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games with a score of 14.666, marking his first Asian Games gold medal and a personal redemption after his disappointing seventh-place finish in Jakarta in 2018.
Redemption on the Nagoya Floor
For Carlos Yulo, the victory carried immense emotional weight. Eight years prior, at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, the then-18-year-old entered the floor final as the top qualifier but faltered on a tumbling pass, crashing to seventh place. On September 24, 2026, the 26-year-old secured the gold medal with his 14.666 routine.
“This medal, it’s like winning the Olympics, also because it’s kind of the same back when I was 18 years old, at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games,” Yulo said, as reported by Reuters. “I kind of messed up my routine there. I was a finalist on floor and vault, but it wasn’t really a good performance.”
The podium in Nagoya proved exceptionally tight. Yulo edged out Kazakhstan’s Milad Karimi, who claimed the silver medal with a score of 14.600, while Japan’s Shoma Tsukiyama took the bronze with 14.566.
The Long Road to the Los Angeles Olympics
Yulo established himself as a sporting pioneer for his nation by becoming the first Filipino to win two Olympic gold medals, capturing titles in both the floor exercise and the vault at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Looking ahead, he views his performance at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as a critical stepping stone toward defending his titles at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“That’s a big one, and I feel like there’s still a lot of time,” Yulo noted regarding Los Angeles. “I’m preparing myself right now. This competition is part of it also, and I’m building my confidence also through these competitions. I know when the time comes when we are there, I just pray that I’m safe, and I enjoy that moment and I appreciate that moment.”
The competition also featured family ties within the sport. Yulo’s 18-year-old brother, Karl Eldrew Yulo, qualified for the Nagoya floor final alongside him. The younger Yulo finished seventh out of eight competitors following an early, messy landing in his routine. Offering perspective on his brother’s performance, Carlos Yulo expressed confidence in his sibling’s resilience. “He’s having a hard time, maybe, and I know that he will overcome this and take it as a lesson. It’s part of the journey,” Yulo stated.
Broader Philippine Sports Momentum
Yulo’s immense celebrity status in the Philippines means his public appearances routinely draw large crowds. This widespread athletic prominence mirrors that of top Philippine women’s tennis player Alex Eala, who prepares to compete for her own Asian Games gold medal the following week.
“I know she’s going to smash it,” Yulo said of the 21-year-old tennis star. “I know she can do it, really. And I’m just really excited for other athletes also to compete and give their best.”