MANILA, Philippines — At the height of Paris Olympics this year, Carlos Yulo was at the top of the headlines not only for winning the Philippines’ first two gold medals in a single Olympic, but also because of the controversies surrounding his win.
Among these issues was Carlos’ rift with his family, which was also at odds with Carlos’ girlfriend Chloe San Jose.
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At the sidelines of Watsons Philippines’ first ever “Move with PowHER” forum in Makati City recently, Philstar.com asked Carlos’ coach, Hazel Calawod, on how Carlos still managed to win despite his family problems.
According to the Harvard-certified Human Factors Specialist, she helped Carlos keep his mental health intact through training, specifically, “Refocusing him in order for him to understand where he needs to put his energy in,” she said.
“As an athlete, you are in a very competitive environment. Basically, your lifestyle is you're going to train in order to outperform your competitor, right? That is a lot of pressure, a lot of pressure in terms of understanding what your weaknesses and strengths are. A lot of pressure in terms of understanding how you can outperform your competitors,” she explained.
As Carlos’ coach, she makes sure his physical and mental health can overcome any obstacle – may it be his competitors or family problem.
“And every day you, you have to constantly push yourself beyond your known limits,” the coach said.
Related: Coach Hazel Calawod recalls aftermath of ‘shipping’ with Carlos Yulo
The sports occupational therapist sat in the panel for “Move with PowHER” forum together with Women’s Run PH Chief Executive Officer Nicole Dela Cruz, an advocate for women in sports; Watsons’ Marketing, Public Relations and Sustainability Senior Assistant Vice President Sharon Decapia; and She Talks Asia advocacy platform co-founder Lynn Pinugu.
To celebrate women’s wellness and empowerment, the forum had segments featuring PH Care, Gynepro, Jeunesse, and partners like Modess, Charmee, Cleane, and Sisters. Through engaging discussions on physical, emotional, and mental wellness, career growth, leadership, and advocacy, Watsons aimed to empower women to thrive in every aspect of their lives. — Video by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo; video editing by Anjilica Andaya
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