Carlos Yulo explains why he hugs the vault table before his routines
Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo has a candid explanation for why he hugs the vault table before performing.
In an Instagram reel posted on October 21, the Filipino gymnast was seen embracing the vault table before his routine. When American gymnast Ian Gunther asked him about the gesture, Carlos explained that it was his way of showing kindness toward the apparatus.
“You know, you have to be nice,” Carlos said.
“Maybe it’s my favorite—floor and vault—that’s why I kind of kiss [it]. It’s just being nice to the event,” he said with a laugh.
The lighthearted exchange caught the attention of fans, who shared their reactions in the comments section. Some found Carlos’s habit endearing, while others related to his practice of treating equipment kindly in the hope that it would cooperate.
“The best advice ever,” one commenter wrote.
“I get this. When I really need a piece of equipment to work (even an office printer), I hug it and speak nice things to it too,” another shared.
“That is right. Be nice to all of your equipment. They will love you back,” another commenter added.
Carlos’s playful practice comes as he continues to make his mark in the world of gymnastics, especially in the vault and floor exercise events.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he made history by winning two gold medals for the Philippines. He first claimed the gold in the men’s floor exercise event before securing another victory in the men’s vault.
Carlos continued his winning run throughout the years and sealed his mark in the global gymnastics stage.
Just last September in the 2026 Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Carlos captured the gold medal in the men’s floor exercise, before winning another gold in the men’s vault with an average score of 14.599 across two attempts.
On October 18, Carlos qualified for the floor exercise and vault finals at the 54th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
He advanced to the vault final with a qualifying score of 14.266 and finished second in the floor exercise qualifiers with 14.500.
Carlos is scheduled to compete in both finals this weekend, with the men’s floor exercise final set for Saturday and the vault final on Sunday. Both events are scheduled for 8 p.m. Philippine time.