Philippines’ EJ Obiena celebrates after successful the boys’s pole vault last on the nineteenth Asian Video games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photograph/Lee Jin-man)
Newly minted Asian pole vault champion EJ Obiena didn’t wish to dive into the small print on how precisely he shall be making ready for the Summer time Olympic Video games subsequent 12 months, however made it clear that will probably be all concerning the gold in Paris.
“I can’t inform every thing or principally let you know the plans we’re having, however I can say that it’s gonna be lots of arduous work, lots of exact periods and exact timing of sure issues. There’s not gonna be lots of huge technical changes. I believe I’m sticking to twenty steps going into Paris,” he mentioned in a meet-and-greet organized by his sponsor, Allianz, on Tuesday afternoon.
These 20 steps he didn’t essentially rattle off have labored nicely for him.
“It’s my first 12 months doing it, and it undoubtedly confirmed its potential. I used to be capable of soar 6 meters twice—fairly constant at 5.90 (meters). And yeah, I believe my resolution final 12 months to twenty steps with the endorsement of my coach was the fitting transfer,” he went on.
Obiena, who reset the continental report within the Hangzhou Asian Video games on the way in which to capturing the gold medal, has made the highest Olympic prize his essential objective for subsequent 12 months.
The Tondo, Manila, native mentioned he can have “six extra days to reside a bit, have enjoyable and be a standard individual” earlier than leaving for Europe on Oct. 15 to start out his quest for the Olympic gold.
“Final 12 months I wished to be world No. 2, and I’m world No. 2 now, so yeah. We’re aiming for that gold come Paris,” he mentioned. “I don’t go to meets to go third, second—or simply take part. My objective is to win and I’m gonna do all that I can to extend or solidify my possibilities, coming to Paris.”
Profitable within the glitzy trend capital subsequent 12 months would imply beating world No. 1 Mondo Duplantis of Sweden, and a bunch of others led by Chris Nielsen of the US.
Obiena already owns a victory over Duplantis this 12 months and is aware of precisely what it is going to take to try this once more.
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