Ernest John “EJ” Obiena can scale greater heights when he sees action in the Diamond League this Thursday at the Golden Gala in Rome, Italy.
His father Emerson believes so after the younger Obiena competed against a talented field and still managed to pick up a share of the bronze medal in the men’s pole vault meet of the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix 2020 last week in Poland.
“Magandang indication ito. Kasi kagagaling lang niya sa quarantine at medyo naapektuhan ang training niya,” said Emerson.
EJ, according to Emerson, is slowly gaining his form and this was evident when he recorded his season best attempt of 5.74 meters to grab the gold in the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike competition in the Czech Repubic on Tuesday also last week.
“Nagkaroon kasi siya ng injury sa likuran. Kaya iyung expectation ko, hindi ganoon kataas,” added the elder Obiena on his son’s gold medal win.
EJ, who recently recovered from a back problem, was supposed to compete in Berlin this week, but he was not able to get an invitation.
That’s why he will just seek his sixth medal in Rome.
“Gumanda na ang kundisyon niya sa likod at nakita ko pa rin na nandun pa rin ang galaw niya,” added Emerson.
EJ will be on his second Diamond League stint this season after claiming a bronze medal in the Monaco leg last August 29.
He missed four other legs of the Diamond League because he did not get invitations to join.
After EJ was able to clear a height of 5.45 meters, the elder Obiena believes that his son can clear a higher height as time goes by.
“Simula sa 5.45 meters ay magandang senyales iya na nakakapa na niya ang dati niyang galaw,” said Emerson.
Currently ranked no. 16 in the world, EJ is travelling from his home base at the CONI Athletics Training Center in Formia, Italy with his coach Vitali Petrov and his training partner, and Rio Olympics champion Thiago Braz of Brazil.
