IN a field where homegrown talents rarely flourish, EJ Obiena’s achievements easily make him sui generis among Filipino athletes.
No doubt about it, no other Filipino in recent history has cleared the bar - or even come close to it - like he did, and continues to do.
Nearly a year ago, Obiena entered the elite 6.00-meter club in Budapest, setting a new Asian record in the process.
READ: EJ Obiena takes shot at rare PH athletics medal at Paris Games
Now, the 28-year-old pole vaulter, ranked No. 2 in the world, is set to commence another campaign at the Olympics in Paris, France.
While these things become orthodox for an athlete on his level, the journey is another story to tell.
EJ goes from electronics engineering to electrifying in pole vault
And for the face of Philippine athletics, it’s much more than meets the eye.
“Maraming sakripisyo si EJ para dito. Pinakamalaki, ‘yung tiisin niyang malayo siya sa amin, at ipagliban niya ‘yung iba niyang pangarap,” Emerson Obiena, EJ's father and coach, told SPIN.ph.
In 2018, Obiena took a leave of absence from University of Santo Tomas, where he was studying for a degree in electronics engineering, to move to Italy and commit himself to training under Vitaly Petrov.
This move was motivated by his recovery from what was then seen to be a career-killing ACL injury he suffered in 2017 - and ultimately proved to be pivotal.
“After niya ma-ACL injury at gumaling, nabigyan siya ng pag-asa na makabalik sa paglalaro. Dun siya nag-decide na, ibibigay niya lahat,” Emerson, also a former national athlete for pole vault, shared.
He continued: “Nakausap niya si Vitaly tapos sabi ni Vitaly sa kanya na kung gusto niya umabot sa mataas na level, kailangan mag-focus siya sa isang bagay. Hindi kakayanin na mag-juggle ka nang napakaraming ginagawa.”
As such, the younger Obiena had to make his pick, and chose pole vault, letting go of unfinished business with regards to his studies.
While understandable, it was still a decision that hurt a part of his and his family’s dreams.
“Sinacrifice niya pag-aaral niya para mag-full time na atleta,” Emerson said. “Naintindihan ko ‘yun kasi alam kong ‘yun ang gusto niya. Alam kong mag-dedelay ‘yung pagtatapos niya. ‘Yung mga ka-batch niya, ngayon, may sariling hanapbuhay, entrepreneur, nasa managerial positions na, pero bilang atleta na gustong gumaling, ‘yun ang setback niya.”
It would have been typical for Emerson, as a parent, to keep preaching studies first, but he himself decided to go with empathy all in support of his son who was already going through a lot.
“Naisip ko din, kung hindi ko siya papayagan, may ‘what if’ sa kanya. Hanggang tumanda siya, bitbit niya yun, iisipin niya yun," he said.
"So sabi ko, sige yang lakas na yan, hindi yan permanente, lilipas yan, so habang malakas ka, habulin mo ‘yang pangarap mo, suportado ka namin.”
With EJ’s sacrifices going beyond the track, his father gives him the assurance that his other dream can wait, so he can take as much time as he needs.
“Pagkatapos niyan, balik ka na sa pag-aaral. Andyan lang ang eskwelahan, andyan lang ang UST, balikan mo," Emerson added.
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