Pole vaulting star EJ Obiena recently opened up about the challenges he faced on his journey to becoming an Olympian, particularly the resistance from his father, Emerson Obiena, who was initially against his dream.
In an interview on journalist Bernadette Sembrano’s vlog, Obiena shared that his Olympic aspirations began at a young age, despite his father’s skepticism. Trained by his father until he was 18, EJ managed to secure scholarships through the sport, allowing him to pursue both high school and college education.
However, things took a difficult turn in 2017 when EJ suffered a severe ACL injury. Despite his injury, EJ informed his parents that he intended to take a leave of absence from school to focus on his dream of reaching the Olympics. This decision led to a heated conversation with his father.
“I was thinking my dad would understand more because he was a pole vaulter, but he was the opposite. He was like, ‘Are you stupid? You just got an injury, you don’t know if you’re going to get back from that. You’re wasting your future,’” EJ recalled.
To reassure his parents, EJ promised that if he didn’t make it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he would return to his studies. EJ not only made it to the Olympics, finishing 11th in 2020, but also competed in the 2024 Paris Games.
Reflecting on the challenging times, EJ expressed gratitude towards his parents for their care, saying, “I’m very lucky I’m surrounded by people who care for me more than just me being a guy who can jump over bars. They care for me as an individual.”
EJ’s mother, Jeannette Uy, described him as determined and persevering, noting that they supported and prayed for him, particularly during competitions.
Although EJ mentioned that thoughts of retirement have crossed his mind, he hinted that his pole vaulting journey is not over yet. “If it doesn’t make me tick anymore, that’s when I’ll retire,” he said.