Filipino gymnast who won 2 Olympic golds in Paris gets hero's welcome and free buffets for life

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo, who won two gold medals in the Paris Olympics, flew home to a hero’s welcome Tuesday with a nationally televised tribute by the president and donors pledging more than $1 million worth of cash and gifts, including a resort house and free lunch buffets for life.

The 24-year-old’s wins in the men’s floor exercise and vault were the largest victory ever by a Filipino athlete since the Philippines joined the Games a century ago. Two Filipino boxers, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, won bronze medals in women’s boxing in Paris.

The euphoria over Yulo's wins has provided a respite for a nation long ridden with poverty, deep divisions and conflicts.

Arriving in Manila, Yulo and the other Filipino athletes who participated in the Olympics were welcomed by flag-waving admirers who reached out for handshakes and took selfies. The athletes were met by their families before proceeding to the Malacanang palace, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave them presidential citations and a million pesos each ($17,500).

But Yulo got 20 million pesos ($350,000) from Marcos, who acknowledged the difficulties the athletes went through and “no official technical support from the government,” a longstanding complaint.

“They did it on their own. Of course, there are some who helped, sometimes the government is able to help, but there is no formal structure to help our athletes," Marcos said, and promised to fix it.

Cash and gifts pledged separately by other government offices, business tycoons and leading Philippine corporations for Yulo, including a condominium unit and a resort house south of Manila, would amount to more than 58 million pesos ($1 million). Prominent companies offered free pizzas, ice cream and lunch and dinner buffets for life along with free domestic and international flights.

Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, who rose to global fame for winning titles in eight different weight classes and for his rags-to-riches life story, promised to reward Yulo with an unspecified amount of cash.

A celebratory parade for Yulo and the other athletes on Wednesday along Manila’s main streets is expected to draw thousands of people. It will pass near a poor community where he grew up and first trained in gymnastics with his siblings in a public gym, where a coach first noticed the impressive skills of the then-7-year-old.

"I’ll welcome him with a hug and we’ll jump together in joy,” Rodrigo Frisco, a 74-year-old relative, told The Associated Press in the neighborhood where the gold medalist has become a poster boy for hope. “Who would believe that these narrow alleys and small houses would produce a champion?”

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz clinched the first-ever Olympic gold for the Philippines in Tokyo in 2021.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, meets Olympic double gold medalist in gymnastics, Carlos Yulo during a welcome ceremony at the Malcañang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe, Pool)

Filipino athletes who competed in the Paris Olympics arrive during a welcome ceremony at the Malcañang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe, Pool)

A banner congratulating Filipino gymnast Carlo Yulo, who won two gold medals in the Paris Olympics, is displayed in Leveriza, Pasay City, Manila, Philippines where Yulo grew up, on Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Joeal Calupitan)

Rodrigo Frisco, 74-year-old grandfather of Filipino gymnast Carlo Yulo, who won two gold medals in the Paris Olympics, holds photos of his grandson on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in a neighborhood in Manila, Phillippines, where Yulo grew up. (AP Photo/Joeal Calupitan)

Filipino gymnast Carlo Yulo, who won two gold medals in the Paris Olympics, arrives in Manila, Philippines, on Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Joeal Calupitan)

Silver medalist Artur Davtyan, left, of Armenia, stands in the podium with gold medalist Carlos Edriel Yulo, center, of the Philippines, and bronze medalist Harry Hepworth, of Britain, during the medal ceremony for the men's artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France.(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay (9-3) at Detroit (11-1)

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime Video.

BetMGM NFL odds: Lions by 3 1/2.

Against the spread: Packers 6-6; Lions 9-3.

Series record: Packers 106-77-7.

Last meeting: Lions beat Packers 24-14 in Green Bay on Nov. 3.

Last week: Packers beat Dolphins 30-17; Lions beat Bears 23-20.

Packers offense: overall (3), rush (5), pass (8), scoring (8).

Packers defense: overall (12), rush (8), pass (19), scoring (T-9).

Lions offense: overall (2), rush (4), pass (5), scoring (1).

Lions defense: overall (10), rush (5), pass (25), scoring (3).

Turnover differential: Packers plus-9; Lions plus-8.

WR Jayden Reed. The former Michigan State star caught five passes for 113 yards last month against the Lions. He had a career-high two TD catches against Miami. Reed leads the team with 44 catches and 693 yards receiving. Reed has seven TDs, including one rushing.

S Brian Branch. He was ejected in the second quarter of the game in Green Bay after landing a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers receiver Bo Melton. He also was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for extending both of his middle fingers toward the Lambeau Field crowd as he walked off the field.

Detroit's running game against Green Bay's defense. Jahmyr Gibbs has 973 yards rushing and David Montgomery has 720 yards on the ground for the Lions and both have scored 11 combined touchdowns. The Packers allowed fewer than 45 yards rushing in each of their past two games, pulling that feat off in consecutive weeks for the first time since 1995 and second time since 1950.

Packers CB Jaire Alexander (knee) and LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) are out for a third straight game. ... WR Romeo Doubs (concussion) will miss a second straight game. ... The Packers also have ruled out CB Corey Ballentine (knee). ... Detroit will play without OT Taylor Decker (shoulder), DL Josh Paschal (knee), DL Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) and DT DJ Reader (shoulder) missed multiple practices this week. ... Lions CBs Carlton Davis (knee) and Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring) are expected to return after being inactive last week. ... LB Malcolm Rodriguez had a season-ending knee injury against Chicago.

Detroit has won five of the past six meetings, its best stretch of success in the series since the early 1980s. ... Last month in Green Bay, the Lions won after Kerby Joseph scored on a 27-yard interception return and they converted two fourth downs into touchdowns. The Packers outgained Detroit 411-261 in the setback. ... Green Bay is 2-0 against the Lions in the playoffs, beating them at home and away by four points each time in the 1993 and '94 seasons.

Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota (10-2) are the first three three teams in a division to enter Week 14 with at least nine wins since the AFC East in 1985. ... The Packers have won their past five division road games, including a 29-22 win at Detroit last year on Thanksgiving when Jordan Love threw a 53-yard TD to Christian Watson on the game's first play and finished with three TDs. ... Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur, who is from Michigan, has won 65 regular-season games and George Siefert (75) is the only coach in league history to win more in his first six years . ... The Packers are appearing in prime time for the second of four straight games. .. Green Bay and Detroit will each play their third game in 12 days. ... Love had a career-high passer rating last week and has thrown a combined 4 TDs without an INT over the past two games. ... The Packers have scored 90 points off turnovers this season and Buffalo (91 points) is the only team with more points from a defense. ... DE Rashan Gary, drafted No. 12 overall from Michigan in 2019, has a team-high 4 1/2 sacks. Gary matched a career high with three sacks last year at Detroit, where he also forced two fumbles and recovered one. ... Packers S Xavier McKinney and Lions S Kerby Joseph are tied for the NFL lead in seven INTs — two more than any other player. ... Packers RB Josh Jacobs has 987 yards rushing to rank third in the league and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs (973) is fourth entering Week 14. … The Lions clinch a playoff bid with a win or tie. They can also qualify for a spot with a setback in scenarios that include Atlanta or Tampa Bay losing. ... Detroit has won 10 straight, matching the franchise record with the 1934 team, and has won 11 of its first 12 games for the first time. ... The Lions led the league in Pro Bowl votes after the opening week with Gibbs ranking fifth among all players in voting. ... Detroit is 8-2 in prime time with coach Dan Campbell. ... Jared Goff is one of six NFL players with at least 100 TD passes with two teams, joining Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Kurt Warner and Fran Tarkenton. ... WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has 391 catches, putting him in a position to become the third player in league history to have 400 receptions in the first four years of a career, joining Michael Thomas (470 receptions) and Jarvis Landry (400). ... S Kerby Joseph has four INTs in four games against Green Bay.

St. Brown might be due for a touchdown. He has been held out of the end zone in consecutive games for the first time since Week 1 and 2. The All-Pro has nine TDs this season, including one at Green Bay when he caught all seven passes thrown to him for 56 yards.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) runs from Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks (20) during a 12-yard touchdown reception in the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)