Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena only bankrupt the national list (again): The guy discussions Tokyo Olympics, Mondo Duplantis, and you may feeling brand new like in the Philippines within private chat.
EJ Obiena is cheerful as he pops up on joingy the videocall. «Sorry, was just carrying out my personal Covid try,» according to him, «it is bad, so that is very good news.»
Exclusive! EJ Obiena set sights to the Philippines’ basic previously Olympic gold: «That’s the purpose»
It’s the most recent very good news inside the a substantial stream of a great reports to own EJ whoever unbelievable indoor season gave means to fix an incredible outdoor seasons into the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Game just days out.
Obiena enjoys several times damaged federal facts and you can catapulted himself toward the upper podium more than business champ Sam Kendricks and you can Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz.
Towards Obiena place a special Filipino record of 5.85m, successful the latest Plunge and you can Fly battle in the Mossingen, Germany, that draw exceeded his own checklist of 5.81 he place in in the Chiari, Italy – a mark you to generated him the original Filipino to help you qualify for Tokyo 2020.
The Olympic postponement has given Obiena per year to your workplace much harder and go higher and then he could be climbing continuously towards magic 6m mark, getting himself regarding reckoning towards the podium during the rescheduled during summer out of 2021.
That it pole-vaulter ‘s the pride regarding Filipino track and field that will be into the definitely from the their goal in the Tokyo Games:
«Profit the brand new gold, that’s it boy. Which is an extremely hard goal to achieve, but that is the target. That’s why I am creating this, not to rating next rather than to get third. so you can victory it.» – EJ Obiena
Is to Obiena do so he’d end up being the earliest actually ever Filipino so you can earn an Olympic silver medal, permanently composing his title towards Olympic lore from a country passionate about athletics.
Continue reading because of it exclusive interviews on the Philippine eagle, regarding their Olympic is designed to the Filipino restaurants the guy misses (Eg new coconut water, mangoes and you can Jollibbee!), exactly how Covid nearly made him give up and you will go back home, and his awesome 75-year-dated advisor Vitaly Petrov who pretty sure him to keep going.
We and learn about exactly how the guy is in charge of his mental health away from your home, the brand new household members he is produced, their girlfriend having plus an athlete, in addition to daunting help he feels away from Filipinos all over.
Exactly how large can also be EJ Obiena wade?
5.62m (5th) at the Karlsruhe Industry Interior Trip, 5.80m (1st) during the ISTAF Berlin, 5.68m (1st) inside the Dortmund, 5.60m (5th) within WA interior Trip Gold when you look at the Lievin, 5.86m (2nd) from the Orlen Glass into the Lodz, 5.80m (3rd) on Copernicus Cup, Torun.
Now he’s their places seriously interested in the latest Western listing of 5.93, but also for EJ it isn’t all about the new amounts.
«So i have this height purpose height that i need to get to but at the same time not every race presents the fresh window of opportunity for one generate you to definitely bar, you know. With regards to competition, We notice more on the fresh new pub that is set at this time.
«Starting battle, considering this new list and you will anyone leaps more than one to list, you will be essentially such as, oh s. I have to dive greater than you to definitely?
«Therefore i thought the best type of psychology starting race merely that we need to be the guy which jumps more than the remainder community. We work at effective this new match.»
Their outdoor season began remarkably as he eliminated 5.80 so you’re able to most readily useful the latest podium from inside the June, then he cleared that Olympic fundamental once more at 2021 FBK Video game regarding the Netherlands, where the guy stepped up on the podium about just Mondo, which cleaned 6.10m.
