Asia’s top pole vaulter and world’s no. 2 Ernest John “EJ” Obiena has seven months to prepare for the Paris Olympics.
A series of indoor competitions is in store for him in Europe, leading up to Obiena’s appearance at the 2024 World Championships in March.
Preparations have restarted for Obiena in Formia, Italy, four months after the Philippines claimed its first athletics’ gold medal at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou in 2023 through his efforts.
“The Olympics is seven months away. So our entire focus is that our best bet gets the best support that he can get,” said Philippine Athletic Track and Field Association chief Terry Capistrano.
Capistrano, who is currently in Japan, said Obiena is set to join local tournaments in Europe, before plunging into action in the World Indoor meet in the first week of March in Glasgow.
Most of his rivals, led by world no. 1 Armand “Mondo” Duplantis will be there, along with Chris Nilsen of the United States, and Kurtis Marschall of Australia, who recently rose to no. 4.
Much is expected from Obiena, who is the World Championships’ silver medallist, and the first Asian to have reached the 6-meter mark.
During the Asian Games, Obiena cleared 5.90 meters for the gold.
In the 25 events that he joined last year, Obiena managed to clear the 6.0-meter mark twice, first at the Sparebanken Vest Bergen Jump Challenge, Bryggen, Bergen in Norway last June.
The second time was in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last August.
Obiena was able to move behind Duplantis in the world rankings following second-place finishes at both the World Championships and Diamond League finals.