Filipino pole-vaulter EJ Obiena merely broke this new federal record (again): The guy conversations Tokyo Olympics, Mondo Duplantis, and impact the fresh like on the Philippines in our exclusive cam.
EJ Obiena is cheerful as he appears towards the videocall. “Sorry, was just creating my personal Covid attempt,” he says, “it is negative, so which is good news.”
This is the most recent very good news in a solid stream of an effective reports getting EJ whose incredible interior seasons has given way to an incredible outside year towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Video game only months out.
Obiena possess repeatedly broken national suggestions and catapulted themselves towards the the top podium over business champion Sam Kendricks and you can Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz.
To your Obiena place an alternate Filipino listing of 5.85m, effective this new Dive and Travel battle from inside the Mossingen, Germany, you to draw surpassed their own listing of five.81 which he place in in the Chiari, Italy – a dot one generated your the first Filipino to help you be eligible for Tokyo 2020.
Exclusive! EJ Obiena kits sights towards the Philippines’ first ever before Olympic silver: “That is the goal”
The fresh new Olympic postponement gave Obiena a year working more difficult and you will go higher and today he is climbing steadily on secret 6m draw, placing themselves on the reckoning for the podium in the rescheduled in the summertime out-of 2021.
Which pole vaulter ‘s the pride from Filipino track and field that’s into the definitely on their purpose during the Tokyo Games:
“Profit the latest silver, that’s it kid. Which is a rather difficult goal to attain, but that’s the goal. This is exactly why I am undertaking all of this, to not ever score 2nd and never locate third. in order to profit they.” – EJ Obiena
Would be to Obiena do so he’d get to be the first actually Filipino to win a keen Olympic gold medal, forever writing their label to your Olympic lore away from a country passionate about sport.
Keep reading for it exclusive interview on Philippine eagle, regarding their Olympic will the fresh new Filipino eating the guy misses (Such new coconut liquids, mangoes and you can Jollibbee!), how Covid almost made your stop trying and you will go back home, with his 75-year-dated mentor Vitaly Petrov just who sure your to keep going.
I along with read about just how he manages his mental health far from home, the members of the family they are generated, their spouse that and a runner, therefore the daunting help he feels off Filipinos far and wide.
Exactly how large can EJ Obiena wade?
5.62m (5th) from the Karlsruhe Business Interior Concert tour, 5.80m (1st) from the ISTAF Berlin, 5.68m (1st) inside the Dortmund, 5.60m (5th) during the WA interior Trip Silver in Lievin, 5.86m (2nd) on Orlen Glass for the Lodz, 5.80m (3rd) in the Copernicus Cup, Torun.
Now he has their views intent on the fresh Western listing away from 5.93, but also for EJ it’s just not everything about the quantity.
“Therefore i get this top goal peak that we have to reach but meanwhile not all competition merchandise this new opportunity for you to definitely make one bar, you understand. Regarding battle, We attract regarding brand new bar which is place at this time.
“Going into competition, if you think about the brand new listing and you may anyone jumps over you to definitely record, you might be essentially particularly, oh s. I need to dive higher than that?
“So i thought the best sort of mindset entering battle is that i kissbrides.com min hyperlГ¤nk should be the guy whom leaps more than all of those other profession. I work at effective the latest match.”
His outdoor year first started impressively as he cleared 5.80 to best new podium from inside the June, then removed one Olympic fundamental again on 2021 FBK Online game regarding the Netherlands, in which he stepped up towards podium about simply Mondo, whom cleaned 6.10m.