EJ says more work to do

MANILA, Philippines — World No. 3 pole vaulter EJ Obiena, fresh from joining the elite six-meter club, is far from resting on his laurels. He said clearing the six-meter bar in Norway last weekend wasn’t his best jump and there’s more work to be done on the way to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Obiena, 27, is gearing for his first crack at qualifying for Paris at the BAUHAUS-galan in Stockholm on July 2. If he clears 5.82, Obiena will earn an outright ticket to the Olympics. Before Stockholm, Obiena is scheduled to compete at the Bislett Games in Oslo on Friday and another meet in the Czech Republic. After Stockholm, he’ll fly to Sotteville, France, to continue his outdoor campaign on July 7. Then, it’s the Asian Athletics Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, on July 12-16.

From Pattaya, Obiena will return to his base in Formia, Italy to prepare for his next tournament in Monaco. He’ll take 28 days to train for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Aug. 19-27. Obiena will enter competitions in Brussels, Zurich and possibly Geneva before participating in the Diamond League Final in Eugene, Oregon, in September. Then, he’ll compete in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 23-Oct. 8. Obiena said he’s looking forward to joining a proposed invitational meet in Manila after the Asian Games.

The calendar is packed for Obiena whose focus is to stay healthy, achieve consistency and get stronger for Paris. “I’m hoping to qualify on my first try in Stockholm,” he said. “It’s for peace of mind and one less thing to worry about. In Norway, my goal was to compete, not clear six meters. I took a calculated risk to pass and skip some jumps because KC (Lightfoot) and Sam (Kendricks) were moving up. If I didn’t do 5.94 and 6.00 on my first try, I would’ve finished second or third. I’m happy to finally jump six meters but not ecstatic anymore. I’m still inconsistent and I’ve got more things to work on, my approach, using bigger poles.”

Lightfoot, 23, cleared 6.07 to set a new US record a week before and Kendricks, 30, had jumped 6.06 previously. Poland’s Piotr Lisek was also in the competition as a six-meter jumper. Obiena’s benefactor Jim Lafferty, an American CEO based in Dubai, said it was significant that the Philippine flag went over two US and five European flags. “EJ showed Filipino athletes can be the best in the world,” said Lafferty. “Sports is a nation-building tool and EJ delivered a strong message to young people. He has lived away from home and family since 2018, comes home at night to cook dinner after eight hours of training, he’s by himself sacrificing to be the best he can be for his country.”