Health a top priority for EJ Obiena after Paris Olympics run

Philippines’ EJ Obiena prepares to compete in the men’s pole vault qualification of the athletics event at the Paris Olympics 2024 at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 3, 2024. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines—Team Philippines’ EJ Obiena may not know the next step in his career yet, but he is putting a premium on taking care of his health after coming up short in his medal bid in the Paris Olympics 2024 men’s pole vault.

In an online press conference on Wednesday, Obiena revealed that his next move now—other than try and maintain his position on the world ladder—is to take care of his health.

This, is after revealing that he’s been dealing with a spinal injury en route to Paris.

“It’s a long work. We’ll see what’s next for me. For now, [I’ll] really try to get healthy. That’s when we’ll see how the season goes,” said Obiena.

“I would want to defend some of my points and hopefully stay within the world number two ranking before the end of the year.”

Obiena said he has been suffering issues with his nerves in the spinal region before his run in the Paris Olympics.

His friend, James Michael Lafferty explained the situation in the same online conference and said Obiena had to undergo procedure in Italy before the summer games.

To take care of his health better for future pole vaulting events, Obiena understands that he needs to be dedicated even more than he already is on the sport.

And that’s easier said than done, at least for the fourth-ranked pole vaulter in the Olympics.

“It’s not something that I think you should just halfheartedly decide on. This is something that I would take a lot from you, more than you think. You need to be able to be committed. You need to be able to understand the facts of it. You need to realize that time passes.”

“This is a full time dedication. You need to do what needs to be done. I think if you’re committed to what you want to achieve and you truly believe that’s the path that you need to take, then you should do it. Definitely.”

Obiena, meanwhile, likened his failed medal bid to life in general and said the sport can be “very brutal” as far as results go.

“As I said, this life of ours is beautiful but it can be brutal. Nothing is guaranteed. [In the] Olympics and every day [in general], you need to show up and perform when you need to perform,” said the World’s No.2-ranked pole vaulter.