Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 30) – Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena expressed confidence that he can reach greater heights once he steps inside the Japan National Stadium for the Tokyo Olympics men’s pole vault competition.
The 25-year-old pride of Tondo, Manila said he has what it takes to clear the six-meter mark, a feat that will earn him an Olympic medal and solidify his hold with the world’s best.
“I know I can jump six meters. It’s just a matter of me getting it dialed in. I’ve seen how well I can jump and I’ve seen what I’m capable of,” Obiena said in a recent media briefing organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA).
Obiena will compete in the men’s pole vault qualification round on July 31 at 8:40 a.m. Philippine time. The final round is slated on August 3 at 6:20 p.m. Philippine time.
Obiena said he is concerned about the playing field.
“It’s not really the height that I am worried about. It’s more of how things are gonna be… my conditions and the conditions there. It’s not me kind of double thinking my abilities,” the pole vaulter said.
In a separate PATAFA media briefing, EJ’s father Emerson said his son’s best chance for a medal is if he will breach higher than the 5.87-meter personal and national record he set at the Irena Szewińska Memorial in Poland in June.
“Whatever it is that would win a podium finish come the competition, that’s the target of course. We can never tell what height it may be, but we are aiming to clear higher than what he was able to clear during the outdoor season,” said the older Obiena.
World number one Armand Duplantis of Sweden holds the men’s pole vault world record breaching 6.18 meters, while Obiena’s training partner Thiago Braz of Brazil set the Olympic record at 6.03 meters during the 2016 Rio Olympics where he won the gold medal. Obiena squared off with the two in recent pre-Olympic tournaments.
Obiena’s medal chances also improved after American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks pulled out of the tournament because of COVID-19 test results.
His morale was also boosted after his new set of poles arrived in Tokyo on July 23, the same day he entered the Olympic Village.
“Probably, I’m gonna mix-and-match them because the old set of poles that I have are incomplete. We’re missing two poles, one I broke in indoor back in February and the other one recently,” he said.
Obiena has been training in Italy for a couple of years under Ukrainian mentor Vitaly Petrov.
Obiena’s overseas training paid off after winning medals in a number of international meets and the most important of all, when he became the first Filipino athlete to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after clearing 5.81 meters in an Italy meet in September 2019.
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