Ernest John “EJ” Obiena has announced that he will be ending his 2024 season early due to recurring pain.
This decision comes just days after Obiena cleared 5.82 meters to secure fifth place at the Silesia Diamond League held on Sunday at the Stadion Śląski in Poland.
“I’ll be BACK. I regret to announce that I must bring my 2024 season to a premature close,” Obiena shared in a Facebook post.
Initially, Obiena had planned to compete in three more events within the Diamond League series before returning to Manila.
“I intended to participate in three more competitions—ISTAF Berlin, the Zurich Diamond League, and the Diamond League Final—before flying back to Manila,” Obiena explained.
However, the 28-year-old pole vaulter experienced a resurgence of back pain during the Silesia Diamond League, which has plagued him throughout the season.
“The same back pain that has been bothering me all season flared up again. Due to the ongoing spasms, I couldn’t complete my final attempts,” Obiena said.
After consulting his doctor in Italy, an MRI scan revealed what appeared to be a stress fracture in his spine.
“Unfortunately, a later CAT scan confirmed the diagnosis. I have a fractured L5 vertebra,” Obiena disclosed.
As a result, Obiena has decided to halt his preparations for upcoming meets over the next four months.
“To avoid worsening the fracture, I will prudently cancel the remainder of my season, including the Philippines Pole Vault competition scheduled for September 20,” Obiena announced.
He also mentioned that he will need about a month to recover and will soon begin preparing for the 2025 indoor season.
