How EJ Obiena bucked COVID-19 to cop historic in World Athletics medal
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 1:23 p.m.) – Pole vaulter EJ Obiena flashed the finest form of his career when he reset his personal best and the Asian record at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday (Monday, Manila time).
One wouldn't have thought that the 26-year-old had just recently had a bout with COVID-19.
It was in mid-June that Obiena was forced to the sidelines for two weeks after testing positive for the global malady.
Weeks after, Obiena pulled off his best jump in his career. But it was no easy feat.
In a press conference Tuesday, Obiena revealed that he needed to buck some symptoms as close to a week before worlds.
"During COVID, I felt really sick for maybe 2 to 3 days. It was like that tough time and after that, it was okay," Obiena revealed.
Having to isolate for a week, Obiena said he did what he could to stay in shape.
"What I did was just maximize what I can do in the house, in the flat, I keep running around there as much as I can, doing some climbing tricks, body weights and all of that to kind of just maintain." he continued.
According to Obiena, he felt only fully recovered last week. This despite a golden performance in his first competition back by the end of June, where he ruled a tiff in Sweden.
"I think COVID had more than just, you know, fever and this, it had lingering symptoms, I would say I still have this brain fog from time to time and then shortness of breath for 3 weeks," said Obiena.
"I think I just I really just felt good I'll say just a week ago. That’s was when I felt okay, I'm actually feeling like myself again, not running out of breath when I'm jumping which is odd because I only run 40 meters," he added.
Obiena clinched the Philippines’ first-ever medal in the presitigious tournament after clearing 5.94m in the men's pole vault final.
He finished behind world record holder Armand Duplantis and Christopher Nilsen, who ended up first and second, respectively.
Obiena is set to compete with the duo again in a couple of weeks when they clash in the Diamond League in Poland. He also has a tournament in Hungary soon.
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