Carlos Yulo Admits to Experiencing Depression While Undergoing Training

Blessings and rewards continue to rain down on Carlos Yulo weeks after he won a historic two gold medals at the Paris Olympics. On Saturday, the award-winning gymnast added P5 million more to his cache of incentives, this time from digital entertainment companies DigiPlus and ArenaPlus. Company chairman Eusebio Tanco personally handed Yulo the check for the said amount during a press event at the Gateway Cinema in Quezon City. 

“Carlos Yulo truly embodies the ‘astig’ Pinoy spirit,” said Tanco. “We coudn’t be prouder of how he has represented both our country and DigiPlus. Our warmest congratulations to him!” 

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Yulo also renewed his endorsement contract with the company at the same event. The Olympic champ said he was grateful to the company for helping him throughout his training. 

“Nakatulong po sila sa akin before Olympics, especially in training,” he said. “I’m deeply grateful to DigiPlus and Arena Plus for their unwavering support.” 

Carlos Yulo accepts P5 million check from DigiPlus chairman Eusebio Tanco (second from right)

During a short Q&A session with members of the media, Yulo opened up about the mental health struggles he faced during his training. He said the most serious was when he was 16 years old.

“Umabot po dun sa point na na-depress ako (while training),” he said. “Gusto ko na lang mawala sa mundo.” 

Yulo said what helped him get through his depression was prayer.

“Nagdasal lang ako,” he said. “Medyo umokay na pagkatapos. May clarity after ko mag-pray. When I wake up, mas lively na (yung pakiramdam ko) after ko mag-pray.

“Every time nalulungkot ako nagpe-pray ako,” he added.

Mental health issues among Olympic athletes are a common but little-talked about phenomenon. The Olympics itself has acknowledged this issue in a statement issued in 2019.

“Mental health symptoms and disorders are common among elite athletes, may have sport related manifestations within this population and impair performance,” the paper said. “Mental health cannot be separated from physical health, as evidenced by mental health symptoms and disorders increasing the risk of physical injury and delaying subsequent recovery.

“The IOC has committed to improve the mental health of elite athletes, recognizing that doing so will reduce suffering and improve quality of life in elite athletes and serve as a model for society at large,” it added. “The IOC hopes that all involved in sport will increasingly recognize that mental health symptoms and disorders should be viewed in a similar light as other medical illnesses and musculoskeletal injuries; all can be severe and disabling, and nearly all can be managed properly by well informed medical providers, coaches and other stakeholders.”

Yulo has been training as a gymnast since he was a small boy and he said his ultimate dream was to compete and win a medal at the Olympics. Now that he's accomplished that, he said he plans to take a break before pushing through with training to prepare for the next competition. Yulo said he is flying to Paris this week to attend a celebratory event for Olympic athletes as well as watch the ongoing Paralympic Games, which is also being held in the French capital. He added that he is sure to compete at the next Southeast Asian Games, which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand next year. 

Yulo was also asked whether he kept track of all of the incentives that he has been receiving since winning gold at the Olympics, and he answered that he has a team helping him with financial matters but that he himself has not counted all of the prizes. The gymnast famously received a multi-million peso condominium unit from Megaworld, a new Land Cruiser from Toyota, several pledges of monetary rewards from the government and different companies and many others. Estimates of his rewards peg the total amount at over P100 million.

While Yulo says he is grateful for all the blessings coming his way, he says he is not materialistic and does not plan on buying anything right now that he used to only dream of.

“Bonus lang lahat yun,” he said. “Ang mahalaga ay yung gold medals.”