Visiting SG President: Yulo’s victory is Southeast Asia’s milestone

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

FILE: In a joint press conference, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam highlighted the outcomes of their bilateral meeting, emphasizing the deepening partnership between the Philippines and Singapore. (Photo: Presidential Communications Office/Facebook)

In his bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Malacañang Thursday, Shanmugaratnam congratulated Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo for his twin triumph in the floor exercise and vault events of the men’s artistic gymnastics.

The Singaporean leader noted that Yulo was the only athlete from Southeast Asia to bag multiple gold medals in the recently concluded Summer Games.

“I should say, by the way, that, and you know, these things do matter. There was just something very impressive about the performance of Filipino athletes of the Olympic games,” he said in his opening statement.

“Mr. Yulo’s two golds are the – he’s the only athlete from Southeast Asia, from an ASEAN nation whose had two Olympic golds ever in ASEAN. So, it’s a real milestone, it’s a real milestone for all of us. I mean we shine a bit of a reflected glory of the Philippines.”

Marcos thanked his counterpart for his kind words, saying the entire country is very proud of its Olympians as seen in the warm reception given to them upon their return on Tuesday.

“We’re very, very proud. The welcome that the people gave was really overwhelming,” he said.

“Yesterday, we had a big parade through the city because Yulo, who won two golds, comes from the city of Manila.”

With two gold and two bronze medals, the Philippines placed 37th in the overall Olympic ranking and was the best Southeast Asian country, happening in its 100th year of participation in sports’ grandest competition.

The two heads of state held a bilateral meeting in Malacañang on Thursday. They are set to witness the signing of agreements covering areas of mutual concerns.

Shanmugaratnam’s visit marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Singapore. It was formally established on May 16, 1969.