Filipino pole-vaulter EJ Obiena just broke the fresh new federal checklist (again): The guy discussions Tokyo Olympics, Mondo Duplantis, and you will perception the like regarding the Philippines within our private speak.

EJ Obiena try smiling as he appears idade mГ©dia de casamento na florida to your videocall. “Sorry, was just performing my personal Covid take to,” he states, “it’s negative, therefore which is great.”

Simple fact is that newest good news into the a strong stream of a good development for EJ whose incredible interior season has given way to an incredible outside 12 months to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games merely weeks out.

Obiena possess repeatedly damaged national facts and you will skyrocketed themselves for the top of the podium more than world champ Sam Kendricks and you can Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz.

Private! EJ Obiena establishes places toward Philippines’ earliest actually ever Olympic silver: “This is the goal”

Into the Obiena put an alternative Filipino checklist of five.85m, profitable brand new Jump and you can Fly competition within the Mossingen, Germany, you to definitely mark exceeded his or her own checklist of 5.81 he devote in the Chiari, Italy – a mark one generated him the original Filipino in order to qualify for Tokyo 2020.

This new Olympic postponement gave Obiena per year working much harder and you can go higher and now they are climbing gradually toward miracle 6m draw, putting themselves throughout the reckoning on the podium on rescheduled in the summertime regarding 2021.

It pole-vaulter ‘s the satisfaction away from Filipino track-and-field and is in undoubtedly regarding the his goal during the Tokyo Games:

“Win the fresh new silver, that’s it man. That’s a tremendously difficult objective to attain, but that’s the mark. That’s why I’m starting all of this, not to get second rather than to obtain 3rd. in order to victory they.” – EJ Obiena

Will be Obiena exercise however get to be the earliest previously Filipino to help you victory an Olympic gold medal, permanently writing his title on Olympic lore out of a country excited about athletics.

Read on because of it private interviews towards Philippine eagle, of his Olympic will the Filipino food the guy misses (Such as for example new coconut h2o, mangoes and Jollibbee!), exactly how Covid nearly generated your give-up and go back home, and his awesome 75-year-dated advisor Vitaly Petrov just who pretty sure your to store going.

We along with learn about how he looks after his psychological state far from home, the family he is produced, their girlfriend who has plus an athlete, additionally the challenging support he feels away from Filipinos all over.

Just how higher can also be EJ Obiena wade?

5.62m (5th) in the Karlsruhe Business Interior Journey, 5.80m (1st) from the ISTAF Berlin, 5.68m (1st) in Dortmund, 5.60m (5th) on WA interior Trip Silver in the Lievin, 5.86m (2nd) at the Orlen Mug when you look at the Lodz, 5.80m (3rd) from the Copernicus Cup, Torun.

Today they have his views seriously interested in the newest Western listing from 5.93, but also for EJ it’s just not exactly about brand new amounts.

“And so i fully grasp this peak objective height that i should achieve but meanwhile don’t assume all competition presents the newest chance for you to definitely generate one to club, you realize. In terms of battle, I appeal regarding the new bar that’s place now.

“Starting race, if you think about new checklist and you can individuals jumps more that checklist, you might be generally such as, oh s. I need to jump greater than one to?

“And so i thought an informed variety of psychology starting competition simply that we have to be he whom jumps greater than the remainder occupation. I focus on effective the fresh new suits.”

Their outside season began amazingly when he eliminated 5.80 so you’re able to better the latest podium in the June, then he eliminated one Olympic fundamental once again at the 2021 FBK Games from the Netherlands, in which he stepped-up into podium trailing simply Mondo, which removed six.10m.