After making the finals in the Tokyo Olympics, where he finished 11th, EJ Obiena hopes to make the podium of the World Championships.—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Ernest John Obiena made history by making the pole vault final in the Tokyo Olympics last year. He could end up embellishing a milestone appearance in the World Athletics Championships by finishing on the podium in the 2022 edition in Eugene, Oregon.
Obiena is the lone Filipino representative to the meet, but has a realistic chance at giving the Philippines its first medal in the event that is regarded by athletics as on par with the Summer Games.
The championships will take place from July 15 to July 24.
“Keep jumping, keep improving. With God’s grace and determination, we’ll soon reach our goal,’’ Obiena posted in his Facebook account after gathering momentum for the 83-country contest by winning two of his last three outdoor contests in a week’s span prior to his US trip.
The Asian record holder who cleared 5.93 meters in Innsbruck, Austria, on Sept. 11 last year, ruled the Taby Stavhoppsgala in Sweden and defended his title in the Jump and Fly in Hechingen, Germany, capping his world championships preparation.
The obvious wrinkle in that three-event stretch, however, was Obiena’s sixth-place finish in the recent Diamond League, where his toughest rivals were present. The tournament was ruled by world champion Mondo Duplantis before his countrymen in Stockholm, Sweden.
Duplantis is the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder of 6.16 m.
But even as there are a good nine inches or so between Obiena’s best vault and the world record, there is no denying that the 6-foot-2 ace is a medal potential, having climbed to No. 4 in this year’s world outdoor list. INQ