Burger-silog to a double gold
How exactly did the first Olympians eat their way to a Gold? While the ancient Greeks swore by dried figs and turn-of-the-century athletes sipped a decoction of brandy and the rat-poison strychnine, for Filipino athlete Carlos Yulo, it was none other than burger-silog!
For the Paris Olympics, one can imagine a winning menu created by the same people who gave the world the croissant and croque monsieur, but also “chef” and “Michelin Star.” It’s a comforting thought that the Philippines put their stamp on the sporting world’s biggest event food-wise with one of Manila’s favorite street meals, writ large with the haul of two gold medals and two bronzes.
The country’s favorite sports star Carlos Yulo stood on the shoulders of some pretty big giants when he traveled to the City of Lights this year. It just happened to be the 100th anniversary of the Philippines’ first-ever participation in the Olympics in 1924, and in the very same city of Paris at that.
David Nepomuceno, according to research by sportswriter Chino Trinidad, was the first-ever Pinoy Olympian. In a longish text message, Chino (now dearly departed) reminded me months ago that “David Nepomuceno, the pride of Oas, Albay, etched his name in Philippine history as the first Filipino athlete to compete in the Olympics.”
He wrote, “Born in 1900, his sprinting prowess shone in the Far Eastern Games, where he rivaled another Filipino sprinter, Fortunato Catalon. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with in the 1920s. The 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris saw Nepomuceno as the sole representative of the Philippines. While he didn't advance from the heats in the 100m and 200m races, his participation marked a significant milestone for Philippine sports.”
Recounting his achievements, he went on to say, “Beyond the Olympics, Nepomuceno's dedication to athletics continued. In 1925, he nearly shattered the world record for the 100 meters, finishing just two-tenths of a second behind the then-record holder. He also bagged gold in the 200 meters and a silver in the 100 meters at the Far Eastern Games that same year.
“Nepomuceno's legacy extends beyond the tracks. He served with distinction in the US Navy, a testament to his discipline and perseverance. Though his life ended in 1939, the pioneering spirit of this largely unsung hero of the Filipino sports should continue to inspire our athletes to this day.”
Carlos Yulo worked with a support team of coaches that included the nutritionist-coach Jeaneth Aro, who consults for top-tier athletes, including Hidylin Diaz.
But just as there are two bronze medalists this 2024—featherweight boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas—they, too, mirror the first Philippine bronzes won by two other champions.
Technically, the first-ever Pinoy to bring home a medal was Teofilo Yldefonso, who took home bronze medals in swimming in both the 1928 and 1932 Olympics, said Chino. Hurdler Miguel White—who may have been the first iteration of the Fil-Am athlete—was also a bronze medalist at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Both were war heroes, giving their lives for their country. Yldefonso perished in the Bataan Death March and White went missing in action in World War II, his remains never found.
No records remain as to what those first Filipino Olympians supped on. There are just a few sepia photographs of the lanky men staring fearlessly, just like Yulo, into the camera.
Carlos “Caloy” Yulo, this time around, worked with a support team of coaches that included the nutritionist-coach Jeaneth Aro, who in a previous life was a competitive athlete herself.
Aro has quite a few top-tier athletes that she consults for—and that included Hidylin Diaz on the successful quest of her own gold at the Tokyo Olympics. She’s been managing Caloy’s dietary requirements now for almost a year. “It was a question of fine-tuning his nutrition. He had some eating habits and schedules that needed adjustment,” she explained.
Caloy stands 4 feet 11 inches and weighs 51 to 52 kilos. He’s of “excellent body composition, meaning lean and muscular.” Coach Jeaneth wasn’t so much concerned with his losing weight or hitting a target at weigh-in. (These requirements are critical to weightlifting and boxing, but not for gymnastics.)
“His primary dietary goal was focused on maintaining his energy through a long training day,” she explained. “And those days feature sessions twice a day, with each session running two to three hours.”
Did that have anything to do with the jar of honey photographed with him? “Oh, no,” she quickly retorts. “That’s for the apparatus, to keep his hands from slipping!”
Training meals—which were over a good four weeks at the camp in Metz, a town outside Paris—were designed “to mimic Filipino food with the available French ingredients.” It was important, said Coach, to make sure “swak sa panlasa ng Pilipino.” A typical lunch would therefore be stir-fried chicken or beef with vegetables; dinner would be tinola or a shrimp dish.
Thankfully, she said, Caloy is not a picky eater. “Wala naman siyang pili sa food. Kahit ano, okey sa kanya, basta fresh and good quality,” she added.
Sports nutrition now sounds like you are souping up a magnificent machine, which, in a way, the body of an elite athlete must be.
Thus, “pre-competition fueling” on that fateful day consisted of burger-silog—hamburger patties, 1-1/2 cups of rice, and eggs “grilled” sunny side-up from the Olympic cafeteria. (You can’t be more swak than that!)
His celebratory meal after the first gold was a steak, says the Coach, but it was back to his diet the very next day to prepare for the Men’s Vault - Artistic Gymnastics competition. (“All I can say is that I am both happy and honored to be part of another successful Olympic campaign,” she beamed.)
What lies ahead? Pharrell Williams, himself a fashion force as creative director of Louis Vuitton—LV designed the cases for the Olympic torches—has made the call for the return of the Art Olympics. This promises to be the perfect playing field for Filipinos. None other than the alpha-Abstractionist Hernando R. Ocampo competed in 1948 at the London Olympics. Eat that.
