Philippine gymnastics has firmly entered a historic golden era as the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) was named National Sports Association of the Year for the second straight time by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA). The back-to-back recognition crowns a remarkable 2024–2025 run that reshaped the country’s standing in the global gymnastics scene and will be formally celebrated at the SMC-PSA Awards Night on February 16, 2026.
The latest honor is anchored on a breakthrough Olympic campaign led by Carlos Yulo, who delivered one of the most iconic performances in Philippine sports history at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Yulo became the first Filipino athlete to win two gold medals in a single Olympic Games, topping the men’s floor exercise and vault events and announcing the Philippines as a true force in world gymnastics.
Equally historic was the return of Filipina gymnasts to the Olympic stage. Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar competed in Paris, marking the country’s first appearance in women’s gymnastics at the Summer Games in six decades. Their participation signaled not just a milestone, but a long-awaited revival of the women’s program on the sport’s biggest stage.
Momentum carried over into 2025 as Yulo continued his dominance, capturing another world championship gold in Jakarta and leading strong Philippine showings in the Asian Championships and the 33rd SEA Games. At the same time, the next generation began making noise, with Karl Eldrew Yulo, Carlos’ younger brother, emerging as a rising star after winning gold in the junior division of the 2024 Asian Championships and sustaining his success the following year.
Behind these achievements is GAP’s long-term vision under President Cynthia Carrion, whose leadership has focused on building a complete system—from grassroots development to elite international competition. The association’s back-to-back NSA of the Year awards reflect more than medals; they mark a sustained program that continues to produce world-class athletes and redefine what Philippine gymnastics can achieve on the global stage.–Cali Demi
