Carlos Yulo shows support for Alex Eala, EJ Obiena ahead of Asian Games campaigns

Double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo has backed fellow Filipino athletes Alex Eala and EJ Obiena as they prepare to begin their respective campaigns at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Yulo, who wrapped up his Asian Games campaign with two gold medals in artistic gymnastics, said he believes Eala and Obiena have what it takes to succeed in the continental competition.

“Ako, naniniwala ako na kayang-kaya nila ’to. Grabe. ’Yung mga spirit ng mga ’yun... pag pinanood mo sila talaga, doon mo malalaman ’yung puso ng Pilipino,” Yulo said in an interview with JP Soriano of GMA News.

(I believe they can definitely do this. Their spirit is incredible... when you watch them, that’s when you truly see the heart of the Filipino.)

“Ito ’yung malakas pumuso talaga ang mga atleta natin (Our Filipino athletes really have a lot of heart),” he added.

Yulo also said he has been praying for Eala and Obiena, whom he considers friends, hoping they win and remain safe throughout their competitions.

“And siyempre, mga kaibigan po natin sila. Always pinagdadasal ko sila na manalo. And siyempre, maging safe po. Alam kong nasa magandang kondisyon sila ngayon,” Yulo said.

(And of course, they are our friends. I always pray for them to win and, of course, to stay safe. I know they are in good condition right now.)

The 26-year-old gymnast became the Philippines’ first double gold medalist in the Aichi-Nagoya Games after ruling the men’s floor exercise and vault finals.

Yulo won the floor exercise gold on Sept. 24 with a score of 14.666, giving the Philippines its first gold medal of the Games. He followed it with another gold in the vault final the next day, posting an average score of 14.599.

The victories gave Yulo his first two Asian Games gold medals, adding to his two Olympic gold medals from the 2024 Paris Games.

Eala, meanwhile, is set to begin her Asian Games tennis campaign after receiving a first-round bye. The 21-year-old Filipina is the highest-ranked player in the women's singles field and will face the winner of Thailand's Patcharin Cheapchandej and Pakistan's Mahin Aftab Qureshi in the second round.

Eala won bronze medals in women's singles and mixed doubles at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and chose to represent the Philippines in this year's Games despite the tournament's overlap with the WTA calendar.

Obiena, meanwhile, is set to defend his Asian Games men's pole vault title. He won gold in the event at the 2022 Hangzhou Games and is among the Philippine delegation's leading medal prospects in Aichi-Nagoya.

The Philippines sent more than 400 athletes to the 2026 Asian Games, with the country seeking to surpass its four-gold haul from the 2022 edition. — MCG, GMA News