Filipino pole-vaulter EJ Obiena only broke the new federal list (again): The guy conversations Tokyo Olympics, Mondo Duplantis, and you may impression the fresh like in the Philippines in our personal chat.
EJ Obiena are smiling as he pops up into the videocall. “Sorry, was just doing my personal Covid try,” he states, “it is bad, therefore which is great news.”
It’s the current very good news in a strong stream of good reports to have EJ whose amazing indoor year gave treatment for a great backyard seasons with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games only weeks out.
Obiena features several times busted federal details and you may skyrocketed himself on the top of the podium more than community champion Sam Kendricks and you can Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz.
To the Obiena put an alternative Filipino record of five.85m, profitable the fresh new Plunge and Fly battle into the Mossingen, Germany, that mark exceeded his very own record of five.81 that he invest during the Chiari, Italy – a mark you to produced him the original Filipino in order to be eligible for Tokyo 2020.
Exclusive! EJ Obiena establishes sights to the Philippines’ very first actually ever Olympic silver: “That is the goal”
The Olympic postponement gave Obiena a year be effective more complicated and you will go higher and from now on they are climbing continuously into the secret 6m draw, placing himself regarding reckoning with the podium from the rescheduled during the summer out-of 2021.
This pole vaulter is the pleasure off Filipino track and field that is in without doubt on the their goal at the Tokyo Games:
“Profit the fresh gold, that’s all child. That’s a tremendously tough mission to reach, but that is the prospective. That’s why I am undertaking this, to not ever score 2nd rather than to acquire third. to help you victory it.” – EJ Obiena
Is Obiena do so however end up being the earliest ever Filipino to profit an enthusiastic Olympic silver medal, permanently creating their identity for the Olympic lore of a country excited about sport.
Read on for this personal interview towards Philippine eagle, off his Olympic is designed to the brand new Filipino food he misses (Such new coconut liquids, mangoes and you may Jollibbee!), exactly how Covid nearly generated your throw in the towel and go homeward, and his awesome 75-year-old advisor Vitaly Petrov which pretty sure him to keep going.
I plus hear about just how he manages his mental health away from your home, the newest members of the family he’s made, his wife having and an athlete, and also the overwhelming service the guy feels from Filipinos far and wide.
Exactly how high is also EJ Obiena go?
5.62m (5th) on Karlsruhe Community Indoor Tour, 5.80m (1st) on ISTAF Berlin, 5.68m (1st) inside the Dortmund, 5.60m (5th) within WA indoor Trip Silver in the Lievin, 5.86m (2nd) during the Orlen Cup during the Lodz, 5.80m (3rd) at Copernicus Cup, Torun.
Today he has his places seriously interested in the fresh new Asian list regarding 5.93, however for EJ it’s just not about the number.
“Therefore i understand this peak mission top that we need to reach however, at the same time its not all battle merchandise the newest opportunity for you to definitely generate you to club, you know. Regarding battle, We appeal much more about the fresh new bar that’s put at this time.
“Entering race, when you consider the newest listing and you may somebody leaps more that listing, you might be essentially for example, oh s. I want to diving more than you to?
“Thus i imagine an educated version of therapy starting competition is that i have to be he who leaps higher than other field. We work on profitable the latest meets.”
His outdoor seasons first started amazingly as he cleared 5.80 so you can top new podium inside Summer, then he cleared https://brightwomen.net/amolatina-recension/ you to Olympic practical once more during the 2021 FBK Online game on Netherlands, in which he stepped up towards podium about just Mondo, whom cleaned six.10m.