Exclusive! EJ Obiena establishes views with the Philippines’ first actually Olympic silver: „That is the purpose”
Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena simply bankrupt the fresh national record (again): The guy talks Tokyo Olympics, Mondo Duplantis, and you can impact the fresh love on Philippines inside our personal talk.
EJ Obiena is actually smiling as he arises towards videocall. „Sorry, was only carrying out my personal Covid sample,” he says, „it’s bad, so that is great news.”
It is the latest very good news for the a stronger blast of good information to possess EJ whoever unbelievable interior season has given means to fix a great outdoor seasons towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Game only months away.
Obiena possess repeatedly damaged national info and skyrocketed themselves towards the top of the podium more business champion Sam Kendricks and you can Olympic gold medallist Thiago Braz.
To the Obiena put an alternate Filipino number of five.85m, winning the brand new Diving and you may Fly competition for the Mossingen, Germany, one mark surpassed their own checklist of 5.81 which he place in in the Chiari, Italy – a mark that produced your the first Filipino so you’re able to qualify for Tokyo 2020.
Personal! EJ Obiena set sights with the Philippines’ earliest ever before Olympic silver: „That’s the mission”
The fresh Olympic postponement has given Obiena per year to get results more challenging and you can go higher and then he’s hiking gradually on magic 6m mark, placing themselves about reckoning to the podium at the rescheduled during summer away from 2021.
This pole vaulter is the pleasure out-of Filipino track-and-field which can be from inside the no doubt regarding his goal at the Tokyo Games:
„Victory the brand new gold, that’s all guy. Which is an extremely tough objective to get to, but that is the prospective. This is exactly why I am undertaking this, never to score next rather than locate 3rd. so you can earn they.” – EJ Obiena
Would be to Obiena get it done he would end up being the first ever before Filipino so you’re able to win an Olympic silver medal, forever composing his term to the Olympic lore out of a nation excited about athletics.
Read on for this personal interview toward Philippine eagle, out of their Olympic aims to this new Filipino food he misses (Such as for example fresh coconut drinking water, mangoes and Jollibbee!), just how Covid almost produced your give up and you may go home, and his awesome 75-year-dated coach Vitaly Petrov whom pretty sure him to store supposed.
We and read about exactly how he manages their psychological state away from your home, the household members he is made, their girlfriend that along with a runner, additionally the overwhelming assistance the guy seems of Filipinos all over.
Just how high is EJ Obiena go?
5.62m (5th) during the Karlsruhe World Indoor Trip, 5.80m (1st) on ISTAF Berlin, 5.68m (1st) into the Dortmund, 5.60m (5th) at the WA indoor Trip Gold inside Lievin, 5.86m (2nd) within Orlen Cup in the Lodz, 5.80m (3rd) within Copernicus Mug, Torun.
Today he’s their landscapes seriously interested in the new Far eastern listing away from 5.93, but for EJ its not all about the brand new wide variety.
„Thus i understand this top purpose level that we have to go however, at the same time not all battle gift suggestions brand new AsianDate logga in chance of that make one bar, you know. In terms of race, I appeal much more about the fresh new bar that’s set at this time.
„Entering battle, if you think about the fresh list and somebody jumps over you to list, you will be generally such as, oh s. I want to diving greater than you to?
„Thus i imagine a knowledgeable types of psychology going into battle is which i should be he just who leaps greater than the remainder field. I manage winning the latest meets.”
His backyard year first started impressively when he removed 5.80 to greatest the podium inside the June, then he cleared one to Olympic practical once more within 2021 FBK Games regarding Netherlands, in which the guy stepped up for the podium at the rear of just Mondo, exactly who cleaned 6.10m.