In July 2008, he won the Philippine Chess Championship; this not only qualified him for the Philippine team competing in the 38th Chess Olympiad later that year in November, but also earned him his first GM norm. At the Olympiad, Gomez's draw with Czech GM Viktor Láznička in the 9th round was enough to earn his final GM norm and the GM title, making him just the tenth Filipino to do so. Gomez finished the Olympiad as the top scorer for the Philippine team. Gomez also was a member of the Filipino team for the 39th, 40th, 41st, 42nd and 43rd Chess Olympiads.