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    EJ Obiena out with back injury, shifts focus to outdoor season

    EJ Obiena out with back injury, shifts focus to outdoor season
    Feb 21, 2023
    EJ Obiena SEA Games 2
    PHOTO: Jerome AscaƱo

    A BACK injury has prematurely ended EJ Obiena’s 2023 indoor season, and he now focuses on the outdoor meets for the year.

    Jim Lafferty, one of Obiena’s advisers, said the Filipino Olympian had a back issue that was aggravated in a tournament in Germany, a big reason for his poor performance in the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais in Lievin, France.

    See EJ Obiena struggles as Armand Duplantis dominates France tourney

    “He had a developing back pain that worsened in Berlin,” said Lafferty, referring to the ISTAF Indoor tournament where the Filipino Olympian placed second with 5.82 meters behind Sweden’s Armand Duplantis.

    Obiena then placed dead last in a field of 10 in Lievin after being advised not to participate.

    EJ Obiena

    The 27-year-old Obiena will not compete in the final indoor tournaments until March.

    “He was advised not to compete in Lievin but he is such a lion, a competitor, he wanted to try. Now he takes a few weeks break to get his back addressed before outdoor season," said Lafferty.

    The bulk of the outdoor competitions will happen in April.

    Obiena is back in the country. On Tuesday, he had a courtesy call with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann.

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    PHOTO: Jerome AscaƱo
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