TOKYO - Kalmado at relaks na dumating dito si pole vaulter EJ Obiena noong Biyernes ng hapon matapos maresolbahan ang kanyang problema sa pagdadala ng poles mula sa Italy.
“Actually, umaga na lang na-resolve that my poles would be loaded, nine in the morning when my flight was at 5 p.m.,” wika ni Obiena. “You can imagine the stress the day before.”
“I’m a pole vaulter. It is my job to jump with the pole. If I come here in Tokyo without the poles, then I can’t do my job. That stressed me out,” dagdag pa ng 6-foot-2 pole vaulter.
Kung hindi naresolbahan ang problema ni Obiena ay mayroon naman siyang magagamit na replacement poles.
“I’m good. I don’t feel really so excited. I’m just calm. To be honest, I don’t feel to be like this… really hyped and everything. Maybe not yet, but I think that’s the good thing,” wika ng 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist at record holder.
Alam ni Obiena na may pagkakataon siyang gumawa ng isang espesyal na bagay para sa Philippine athletics at sa Philippine sports sa kabuuan
Matapos kunin ni Simeon Toribio ang bronze medal sa men’s high jump noong 1932 Los Angeles Games ay hindi na nanalo ng Olympic medal ang bansa.
“Thanks I’m in a position where I’m actually vying for a medal and, realistically speaking, that actually I can,” sabi ng 25-anyos na si Obiena.
Tinutulungan siya ni Russian coach Vitaly Petrov na makamit ang kanyang pangarap.