My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague: Win Two Olympic Gold Medals and Become a Millionaire

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Win Two Olympic Gold Medals and Become a Millionaire

From My FaceBook The Other Day -Carlos Yulo- Filipino Gymnast

It was Team USA and Simone Biles who were expected to steal the show at the Paris Olympics gymnastics events, but it was Carlos Yulo who truly captivated the audience. With performances that left spectators in awe, Yulo not only secured a lifetime contract but also garnered global admiration. Fans and critics alike are buzzing about Yulo’s meteoric rise, while Biles reaffirmed her dominance, claiming silver in the floor exercise and multiple medals in the team competition, all-around, vault, and floor events. One passionate fan on X proclaimed, “Another gold for the Philippines! History is made again! Ang galing galing mo! [You are incredible!].”

### Carlos Yulo: From Underdog to Olympic Legend

Carlos Yulo’s ascent to Olympic glory is the stuff of legends. On August 3, he etched his name in history by winning the first-ever gold medal for the Philippines in the men’s floor final. But Yulo wasn’t done; the very next day, he soared to victory again, clinching gold in the vault final and becoming the first Filipino to achieve back-to-back Olympic golds. This unprecedented success brought Yulo not just medals but also lavish rewards, including a luxurious two-bedroom condo from Filipino real estate giant Megaworld, valued at an astounding $414,046 USD.

### Unveiling the Rewards and Honors

The drama and triumph of Yulo’s back-to-back victories at the Paris Olympics have ignited a tidal wave of celebration and accolades. His achievements have not only made him a national hero but have also solidified his status as an international sensation, transforming him into a beacon of hope and inspiration for aspiring athletes everywhere.

Recently, NBC Sports posted a picture of Carlos Yulo from the Paris Olympics on their X handle. The caption read, “Win TWO golds, get UNLIMITED cookies!  Carlos Yulo will also receive a free house, money, an iPhone 16, among other gifts, for making history and winning gold at the #ParisOlympics!” Yulo’s magnificent floor routine on Saturday earned him the gold medal, making him the first male from the Philippines to stand atop the podium. With his unprecedented triumph only a day past, the gymnast once more stood on the highest step after dominating the vault final on Sunday to claim yet another gold.

In the aftermath of his initial success, Yulo had been assured by his country’s leaders that a grand new house would soon be his, a reward presented to all who could bring such great pride and honor to the Philippines with their excellence under pressure on the world’s biggest stage. Gymnasts who win Olympic medals often receive rewards from their governments. While the IOC doesn’t give out prize money, most countries pay their gymnasts for each medal. In the USA, gold medals earn $25,000, silver $15,000, and bronze $10,000.

### A Hero's Welcome and Global Recognition

Carlos Yulo’s rewards are impressive. The government will give him a fully furnished two-bedroom condo worth 24 million Philippine pesos. The Philippine Sports Commission gave him over 10 million pesos, and the House of Representatives added three million pesos. In addition to the monetary rewards, Yulo will have lifetime access to colonoscopies and gastroenterology consultations starting at age 45. At 24, he was also granted 100,000 pesos worth of furnishings and food from local businesses.

He can enjoy unlimited cookies from Cookies By The Bucket, an iPhone 16, and lifetime supplies of ramen, mac and cheese, and grilled chicken from various restaurant chains. Nexa Engineering has pledged its services to Yulo for any needs, from intricate designs to simple repairs. Meanwhile, Manila, Yulo’s hometown, is preparing a “hero’s welcome” for him. Mayor Honey Lacuna said, “The grandest welcome will greet him and all our Paris Olympians. When we meet him, we will present Carlos Yulo with cash incentives, awards, and symbols of the eternal gratitude of the proud capital city of the Philippines.” Yulo has made history as the only Olympian from the Philippines to win multiple golds. Only time will tell what else he will achieve.

### The Weight of Glory and Pressure

The 24-year-old’s achievement was particularly impressive as he edged out defending champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel, narrowly surpassing Dolgopyat’s 14.966 from the 2020 Olympics. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised him, saying, “No words can express how proud we are of you.” Just one day after winning gold in the floor exercise, Yulo claimed another gold on the vault with a score of 15.116. He finished ahead of Artur Davtyan, who earned Armenia’s first-ever Olympic gymnastics medal with a 14.966, and Harry Hepworth from Great Britain, who scored 14.949.

After finishing, Yulo said he was still feeling good from the night before and didn’t sleep much. He woke up tired and didn’t think he would do well. “I was just hoping to perform well, I did not really expect a medal”, he said to the NBC Olympics with a surprise. He further added that achieving the win meant to him as he felt like this was a bonus for him. It sounded really crazy to him, and he could not sleep thinking about bagging gold in the floor exercise. He even took a nap on the bus before going into the competition arena, saying, “I kind of like napping for like 15 to 20 minutes,” exaggerating that sleep may have worked for him.

This is the Philippines’ first gymnastics medal and only their third Olympic gold, following Hidilyn Diaz’s weightlifting victory in Tokyo. Carlos Yulo, who has faced recent struggles, including at the last Games, has now made history. He has had trouble being consistent and doing his best in the most important moments. For every success—including his first gold on the floor exercise at the 2019 Worlds—there have been disappointments. But what matters more than ever is how the champion bounced back, stunned the audience, and made his tiny island nation proud and relevant in the global sporting arena at Paris.

From Wikipedia: Carlos Edriel Poquiz Yulo (born February 16, 2000) is a Filipino artistic gymnast. He is the 2024 Olympic gold medalist at the floor exercise and vault events. He is the first Filipino and the first male Southeast Asian gymnast to medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships with his floor exercise bronze medal finish in 2018, as well as the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to achieve a gold medal finish for the same criteria in 2019 at the same event. With multiple medals on the international stage, Yulo is the most successful Filipino gymnast in history, the second person to win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines, and the first person to win multiple Olympic gold medals for the country. 
Yulo is a two-time Olympic champion; a six-time world championship medalist, winning two golds, two silvers, and two bronzes; a ten-time Asian champion; and a nine-time SEA Games champion. He is noted for his short stature compared to other male gymnasts, his precision in form, and the difficulty of his routines, especially in the floor exercise, vault, and parallel bars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Yulo#:~:text=He%20became%20the%20first%20Filipino,kg%20weightlifting%20event%20in%20Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Good Day To All!! The Olympic Games is over and eagerly Waiting for the Next Four Years in Los Angeles, CA  if I am still standing that year ( 2028).  

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Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like:

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Win Two Olympic Gold Medals and Become a Millionaire

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