Paris ticket booked, EJ Obiena keeps plan simple: ‘Don’t do anything stupid’
EJ Obiena —AFP
BANGKOK—Ernest John Obiena has already secured an unique ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics. So the Filipino pole vault star prefers to play issues good for the remainder of the yr, with out seeking to far forward.
“For this yr, I simply wish to focus first till the Asian Video games and we’ll do one other program after this season,’’ mentioned Obiena after arriving right here after a 17-hour flight from Formia, Italy.
“I don’t actually have main plans for the rest of the yr after the Asian Video games,’’ he added.
The world’s No. 3 vaulter can be seeking to defend his title on the twenty fifth Asian Athletics Championships on Sunday afternoon to present the nation one thing to crow about right here within the largest continental meet in monitor and subject.
Obiena is likewise the highest-ranked competitor within the Asian championships, having erased his private greatest and nationwide document a number of instances over since placing gold within the 2019 Doha version with a 5.71-meter leap.
“My aim is basically to leap and compete the very best that I can. I do imagine I can (win) and I do imagine I can do one thing good. I simply have to remain calm. Nothing loopy, don’t do something silly, don’t be dumb,’’ mentioned the Italy-based Obiena.
Saudi Arabia’s Hussain Alhizam, who additionally trains below Ukranian coach Vitaly Petrov in Italy, could possibly be the thorn in Obiena’s gold-retention bid in addition to Chinese language Bokai Huang and Jie Yao and Japanese Tomoya Karasawa.
Asian document
The 27-year-old from Tondo, Manila, owns the Asian document of six meters he completed on the Bergen Bounce Problem in Bergen, Norway final month.
“We had some shakeouts to make the legs go after an extended flight. Hopefully, jetlag doesn’t hit. I’m anticipating it to hit the day after my competitors and after we’re on our method to Monaco,’’ mentioned Obiena.
Petrov, the coach pole vault icon Sergey Bubka, and physiotherapist Antonio Guglietta are right here and also will be on the sidelines when Obiena competes within the Monaco leg of the Diamond League on July 21.
“We’ve got ready for this (Asian championships) and we’re wanting ahead to leaping larger,’’ mentioned Petrov, who produced three gold medals within the Olympics and 6 victories on the planet championships.
Obiena has already certified to the World Athletics Championships in Hungary slated on Aug. 19 to 27 and he’ll compete in a couple of extra tournaments in Europe previous to the nineteenth Asian Video games penciled on Sept. 23 to Oct. 8.
“We’ll simply do low season coaching after the Asian Video games. I want to ensure I’m injury-free when the [indoor] season [in February next year]comes up,’’ mentioned Obiena.
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