FILIPINO pole vault star Ernest John Obiena vowed to be better prepared the next time he joins an indoor competition.
The 28-year-old Obiena said this after he cleared 5.65 meters to settle for ninth place in the men’s pole vault meet of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
The Tondo, Manila-born Obiena did not hide his disappointment on what he believes was a bad showing over the weekend as he gets ready for the outdoor season next and his eventual participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I need to be more prepared. If there was whole season of indoor tournaments for me, it was a gamble. This was a gamble. My indoor season last year ended quietly,” said Obiena in a Zoom huddle on Tuesday.
Obiena talked about his experience in Glasgow in a Zoom meeting with scribes, after he was chosen as the newest Filipino athlete supported by Visa Master Card in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Next to gymnast Carlos Yulo and women’s football player Inna Palacios in the past, Obiena was selected as the latest Filipino athlete that Visa is backing for his dedication and perseverance.
His performance in Glasgow was one of Obiena’s three lowest jumps in more than a year, the first being his gold-clinching 5.65 meters at the 5-6 National Indoor Meeting, Palaindoor in Padova, Italy on Jan. 21, 2023.
Obiena then had a 5.64-meter leap at the Indoor meeting in Calais, France for 10th place on Feb. 15 against a competitive field that included world no. 1 Armand Duplantis.
That same competitive group of athletes, who were in France last year, were also around in Glasgow over the weekend, with Swedish bet Duplantis getting out of difficult moments to retain his indoor mark with a 6.05 meter clearance.
Despite his setbacks, Obiena said he remains on target in his preparations for the Paris Olympics, which is an outdoor event.
“So far so good. Things are going the way we planned,” said Obiena, who is coached by Vitaly Petrov.
Obiena said he won’t be competing in any more indoor meets and will soon start his outdoor season by May. Outdoor meets are set to begin by April.
Executives of Visa said Obiena will be the first Filipino to receive an Olympic Games’ Paris 2024 Athlete Sponsorship as he competes in the outdoor season this year.
Jeff Navarro, who is Visa Country Manager for the Philippines, disclosed that they have a list of 117 athletes joining Team Visa for Paris 2024.
“Visa has always been committed to supporting Filipinos, not just in enhancing the payments and money movement ecosystem, but also in supporting our countrymen who have shone and carried our national pride in sports. We are very proud of EJ Obiena’s world-class achievements and believe that he will shine in this coming Paris 2024. His efforts to help his fellow Filipinos in nation-building through sports are commendable and Visa stands with him on that journey through the Olympics,” said Navarro.
Obiena, who has supported the development of sports programs in the Philippines, has donated some of his earnings to create more pole vault facilities in the country.