Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena simply bankrupt new federal listing (again): He discussions Tokyo Olympics, Mondo Duplantis, and you may feeling the newest like on the Philippines in our exclusive cam.
EJ Obiena try smiling when he appears to the videocall. “Disappointed, was just carrying out my Covid shot,” he states, “it is bad, thus which is great news.”
This is the latest great news for the a substantial stream of a reports to have EJ whose incredible interior seasons gave means to fix an incredible backyard 12 months into the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Video game only weeks out.
Obiena features several times damaged national records and you may catapulted themselves toward the top of podium more business winner Sam Kendricks and you may Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz.
Personal! EJ Obiena sets landscapes toward Philippines’ basic previously Olympic gold: “That is the goal”
Into the Obiena put another type of Filipino checklist of 5.85m, profitable the brand new Jump and Travel race for the Mossingen, Germany, one to draw exceeded his own number of five.81 he place in in the Chiari, Italy – a mark you to definitely generated your the first Filipino to be eligible for Tokyo 2020.
Brand new Olympic postponement has given Obiena per year working much harder and you will go higher now he is hiking steadily into the miracle 6m draw, getting himself from the reckoning toward podium on rescheduled during the summer out-of 2021.
Which pole vaulter ‘s the pleasure out-of Filipino track-and-field and that’s within the surely in the his mission in the Tokyo Games:
“Earn this new gold, that’s it guy. That’s an extremely hard purpose to get to, but that’s the target. This is why I’m starting this, never to get next rather than to find 3rd. so you can victory it.” – EJ Obiena
Is to Obiena exercise he’d become the very first actually Filipino so you’re able to victory a keen Olympic gold medal, forever writing their term into Olympic lore regarding a nation excited about athletics.
Keep reading for this private interview toward Philippine eagle, away from his Olympic will the fresh Filipino eating he misses (Like new coconut liquid, mangoes and you can Jollibbee!), just how Covid almost made him stop trying and you will go home, along with his 75-year-dated advisor Vitaly Petrov just who convinced him to keep going.
We in addition to read about just how the guy manages their mental health far from home, brand new members of the family he is produced, their girlfriend that has and additionally an athlete, therefore the overwhelming service he seems of Filipinos far and wide.
How higher can be EJ Obiena go?
5.62m (5th) at Karlsruhe Globe Interior Concert tour, 5.80m kissbrides.com Saiba mais (1st) on ISTAF Berlin, 5.68m (1st) inside the Dortmund, 5.60m (5th) from the WA interior Journey Silver within the Lievin, 5.86m (2nd) at Orlen Mug during the Lodz, 5.80m (3rd) in the Copernicus Cup, Torun.
Now he has his sights seriously interested in the brand new Far-eastern record off 5.93, but also for EJ it’s just not all about the numbers.
“And so i get this level purpose top that i have to achieve however, meanwhile don’t assume all competition gifts the chance for you to definitely create one club, you realize. In terms of race, I focus regarding the latest club which is put today.
“Going into race, if you think about the fresh number and individuals leaps more one record, you will be generally such as for example, oh s. I must plunge greater than that?
“Therefore i imagine the best form of therapy entering competition is merely that we must be he who jumps more than the rest of the profession. We focus on effective new suits.”
Their outside 12 months began amazingly when he cleared 5.80 so you can finest the new podium within the June, then removed that Olympic important again during the 2021 FBK Online game about Netherlands, in which the guy stepped up into podium about simply Mondo, just who eliminated six.10m.