Obiena confident he'll regain old form
MANILA, Philippines – Despite battling a stress fracture in his back, Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena is bent on getting back stronger than before.
The World No. 3 pole vaulter decided to sit out the 2024 pole vault season due to a fractured L5 vertebra.
He will be forced to sit out a number of competitions as he tries to be back by the 2025 indoor season.
In an interview with Philstar.com on Tuesday at the sidelines of the homecoming ceremony organized by Milo, Obiena said that there is no fear from his end that he will not be able to go back to the same dominant form he has.
“Hell no [on fear]. I competed in the Olympics with this [injury]. I knew what I was going into. It’s just all about risk and reward, man. I went to the Olympics knowing I have this and it’s gonna be there. If I had fear, I would not have competed,” he said.
“It’s my health, I guess, but it’s also the Olympics. That risk-reward, I need to make that calculated bet, betting on myself, it’s always a good thing,” he added.
“I do believe I was still able to and I’m capable of winning and still competing at that level. Am I worried that I will not be able to be back? I don’t think so. I’m still very, very much active and I still do think that we found the problem, let it heal. Let time take its course and I should be back in no time.”
Obiena, though, admitted that the past year has been tough.
“Frustrating, man. This season has been a battle for me. It’s been tough, it’s been tough. to say the least. There’s a lot of stories behind it that people don’t know,” he said.
“This year has been nothing but problems, nothing but fighting, keeping that hope, always trying to see the brighter side of things. Frustrating is an understatement,” he added.
Asked to describe what he feels in one word, Obiena did not mince words.
“S***. Sorry for the word, I’m just being blunt. It’s been tough. Not my year.”
After his fourth place finish in the Paris Olympics, Obiena bared that the back injury had affected his preparation for the Games.
He, however, still competed in the Laussane Diamond League, where he finished joint-third, and in the Silesia Diamond League, where he ended up fifth.
After the Silesia meet, the 28-year-old broke the news that he will be sitting out the rest of the season.
Asked if he targets the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Obiena told reporters that he is not looking too far ahead of the future and that he is aiming for the world championships next year.
“I don’t think I’m physically at the age where I worry kung kaya pa ba ng katawan ko. It’s the fire. The fire is still there. How long that fire is gonna be there, I don’t know. Only God can tell,” he said.
“And, as long as I have that, as long as I feel like I’m willing to do what is necessary to compete at the highest level, I’ll be there. Next thing you know, it might be LA. Who knows?” he added.
“I don’t wanna give anyone [hope] just for the sake of it. I’m aiming for each year. I really want to be the best athlete my coach has ever trained and that’s something that keeps the fire burning.”
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