Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena simply bankrupt this new national list (again): The guy talks Tokyo Olympics, Mondo Duplantis, and perception the fresh like regarding Philippines within our personal talk.
EJ Obiena try smiling when he appears towards videocall. “Disappointed, was just carrying out my Covid test,” he says, “it’s bad, so that is good news.”
It’s the current great news inside a very good blast of Hoppa Г¶ver till den hГ¤r webbplatsen an effective development to have EJ whose unbelievable interior seasons gave answer to an incredible backyard 12 months to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Video game simply days aside.
Obiena features repeatedly damaged federal facts and skyrocketed himself toward top of the podium over world champ Sam Kendricks and Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz.
On Obiena set a different sort of Filipino number of 5.85m, profitable the latest Jump and you will Travel competition in the Mossingen, Germany, you to mark surpassed his own checklist of 5.81 which he devote for the Chiari, Italy – a mark you to definitely made your the original Filipino so you’re able to be eligible for Tokyo 2020.
Exclusive! EJ Obiena set landscapes to the Philippines’ first previously Olympic gold: “That is the mission”
The new Olympic postponement gave Obiena per year to be hired more complicated and you may increase nowadays they are hiking steadily toward magic 6m mark, placing themselves regarding reckoning with the podium in the rescheduled during summer from 2021.
Which pole-vaulter ‘s the pride from Filipino track-and-field which is during the definitely regarding their purpose at the Tokyo Games:
“Winnings this new gold, that’s all guy. That’s an extremely hard purpose to attain, but that is the goal. That is why I’m doing all this, not to ever score second rather than locate 3rd. so you can win they.” – EJ Obiena
Will be Obiena do so however get to be the first ever Filipino to profit a keen Olympic silver medal, permanently composing their title to the Olympic lore out-of a nation excited about sport.
Continue reading for it exclusive interviews towards the Philippine eagle, out of his Olympic will this new Filipino dining he misses (Such new coconut h2o, mangoes and Jollibbee!), how Covid nearly generated your call it quits and you may go home, along with his 75-year-dated mentor Vitaly Petrov who pretty sure your to store going.
We also learn about how he manages their psychological state far from home, the newest nearest and dearest he or she is produced, their wife who has got in addition to a runner, and the challenging service he seems out of Filipinos everywhere.
How higher can also be EJ Obiena go?
5.62m (5th) within Karlsruhe World Indoor Tour, 5.80m (1st) at ISTAF Berlin, 5.68m (1st) inside the Dortmund, 5.60m (5th) in the WA interior Trip Silver during the Lievin, 5.86m (2nd) during the Orlen Mug within the Lodz, 5.80m (3rd) at Copernicus Glass, Torun.
Today he has got their sights set on new Far-eastern checklist off 5.93, but for EJ it’s just not all about the fresh numbers.
“Therefore i fully grasp this peak purpose level which i should achieve however, at the same time not all battle gift suggestions the fresh chance for you to create that club, you know. Regarding race, I attention more on the new bar which is place today.
“Entering race, considering the number and you will somebody leaps over one to number, you happen to be generally including, oh s. I have to plunge higher than one to?
“So i consider an informed sorts of mindset going into battle simply that i need to be the guy exactly who leaps higher than the remainder industry. I run effective the brand new meets.”
His backyard 12 months began amazingly as he cleared 5.80 to help you best brand new podium during the June, then he removed that Olympic fundamental once again during the 2021 FBK Game about Netherlands, where the guy stepped up to the podium trailing simply Mondo, exactly who eliminated 6.10m.
