Obiena tangka ang Rio Olympics sa paglahok sa 4-6 torneo

MANILA, Philippines – Apat hanggang anim na torneo sa susunod na tatlong buwan ang lalahukan ni Filipino Olympics aspirant EJ Obiena sa ilalim ni pole vault coach Vitaly Petrov.

Kasalukuyang nagsasanay ang 20- anyos na si Obiena sa Olympic Centre sa Spala, Poland at matatapos sa Jan. 19.

Kasama ang kanyang father-coach na si Emerson, hinahasa pa ni Obiena ang kanyang talento sa tulong ni Petrov, naging trainer nina pole vault greats Sergey Bubka at Yelena Isinbayeva.

Hangad ni Obiena na makapaghagis ng 5.70 meters para sa Entry Standard sa 2016 Rio Olympics.

“EJ’s performance has progressed remarkably under the guidance of Petrov,” sabi ni athletics association president Philip Ella Juico.

Nauna nang nagsanay si Obiena kasama si Petrov sa IAAF Pole Vault Training Centre sa Formia, Italy.

At para sa kanyang winter training ay nagtungo sina Obiena at Petrov sa Poland.

“Coach Petrov decided to train EJ in the Spala indoor facility since the runway in Formia is not long enough for EJ to do his long approach run as he conti-nues to grow and gain needed weight. In fact the pole that EJ uses nowwhick befits his height and weight and progression, is heavier and stiffer,” wika ni Juico.

Naghagis si Obiena ng 5.0 meters at gumanda sa 5.25 meters sa paggiya ni Petrov para sa kanyang silver medal sa nakaraang 28th Southeast Asian Games.

“He has been kept active by the PATAFA weekly relays sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission. His best performance do date which is the Philippine record established during the Weekly Relays in September 2015, is 5.45 meters,” sabi ni Juico.

Sasabak si Obiena sa 7th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships sa ultra-modern Aspire Dome sa Doha, Qatar sa Feb. 19-21.

“EJ is now in transition to specific preparation for the 7th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships. This competition will be the first of four to six tough competitions that EJ needs to join from January to March,” ani Juico. (OL)