Thirteen-year-old Haifa Niegas stayed up past her bedtime on Sunday to watch Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo compete in the Olympics. When Yulo secured his second gold medal, the excitement at her home in Abu Dhabi was palpable, with her mother jumping excitedly while holding a large Philippine flag in their living room.
"Seeing Carlos win two gold medals has inspired me to train even harder," Niegas shared with Khaleej Times. In just a day, Yulo made history as the first Filipino gymnast to win an Olympic gold and then broke his own record with another gold in the vault event at the Paris Olympics.
Niegas, a Filipino-Iraqi Year 9 student and a gymnast herself, has been successful in various international competitions. She recently won a gold medal for the UAE in an international competition in Egypt. Now part of the Philippine national team, she aims for bigger competitions, possibly leading to the Olympics.
Another young Filipina gymnast, Gabrielle Anne Opida Ramos, also watched Yulo's performance with bated breath. "My stress level was high due to the close scores of the other athletes," Ramos explained. "Seeing Carlos Yulo score 15.116 made me incredibly proud to see a Filipino excel."
Ramos, an incoming Grade 9 student in Dubai, has been passionate about gymnastics since she was three. She won a scholarship in 2022 that enabled her to train regularly. "Gymnastics has enhanced my physical health, flexibility, and discipline," she noted.
Both Niegas and Ramos train rigorously in the UAE, often extending their sessions after Yulo's victories. Niegas plans to increase her training hours, while Ramos trains three hours per session, three times a week.
Yulo's success is seen as a catalyst for the growth of gymnastics in the Philippines. Niegas hopes it will lead to more support from the government for the sport, including hiring more coaches and scouting young talents.
Both gymnasts dream of competing in the Olympics, inspired by their heroes and driven by their passion for gymnastics.
