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Obiena sees new environment, coaching, renewed love for sport behind success in pole vault

Filipino pole vault ace Ernest John "EJ" Obiena talks about his resurgent 2026 season culminating in another Asian Games gold medal in Japan. Obiena said coaching and environment change, as well as finding love in his sport again influenced his success. Obiena, alongside fellow gold medalists Carlos Yulo and Jeus Yape, faced the media during the Team Philippines' 'Heroes Welcome' at a hotel in Manila on Oct. 5, 2026.

VIDEO BY NV MASOY

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Transcript
00:00I'm probably a different perspective. I'm a little bit happier. I enjoy what I do.
00:05I have a much brighter perspective of the sport that I love.
00:11You know, sometimes that matters.
00:15Coaching change and even training camps in Greece, how much of a help is that for you?
00:21Of course, that influences a lot of things.
00:23I mean, it's hard to change the perspective without the change of venue, change of mindset.
00:31How do you say this?
00:33It's a natural course.
00:35So with that, you know, I'm happy that I'm training with a guy who's jolly, who's enjoying.
00:40I'm learning from him as much as he's learning from me.
00:43And with that, it's a recipe for a good team.
00:47But I'm assuming you have to part ways with Coach Vitaly.
00:53Of course.
00:54You know, Vitaly and I, we talked. He congratulated me. I called him after the competition. We're good.
00:59I think we both understood. We're at that point in our career.
01:04We decided that it would be better for me to move.
01:09And with that, you know, I really love the guy. I love him more than just a coach.
01:12So with that, I really appreciate his honesty, his transparency, and he still helped me.
01:19You know, he helped me get to where I'm at today.
01:21With that, I'm thankful.
01:24Do we have enough time?
01:26I mean, it's a little bit gloomy after Paris.
01:32Like I said, I didn't know if I should continue or not.
01:35I think I never duly digested that.
01:40Things continued. The season didn't stop.
01:44And he didn't stop because of my health.
01:46But the next year, I was hungry to prove to everyone that I am who I believe I am.
01:51And I think that's not the right mindset, at least at that point in time.
01:56So I hurt myself even more, went to the World Championship, and qualified for the final.
02:02Then I had the competition here in the Philippines.
02:05It made me realize why I want to do this.
02:08So I'm really thankful for that competition and that I had a competition.
02:12It made me realize what I'm competing for, why I enjoy these moments.
02:16It's, how you say, those moments of pressure.
02:19It's something I truly look for.
02:21And it's like, for me to get back to that, I need to be at the level where I can
02:25compete.
02:25So, that means I need to work hard.
02:28And I tried indoor season, trust me.
02:31I tried everything that I could do, but I can't break 580.
02:34With that, I said to my coach, if I keep jumping like this, I think maybe I've run the course.
02:40My time is fast.
02:41It's a game of a young man's game.
02:44So maybe, maybe it is indeed my time.
02:47And I said if I don't jump any, at least a single bar over 580 this year, or at least
02:52jump comfortably, I think I need some, I gotta do some thinking.
02:56The season slowly, slowly is about to start and I'm starting to feel like it's about to be the same
03:03kind of thing.
03:04And me and my coach regroup and he said, maybe it's time for you to think about this and adjust
03:10and find what is the best for you.
03:13What do you think is best for you?
03:14And he said, you know, my coach said, he'll be there whenever I decide.
03:18And we both decided that it might be good for me to train with someone.
03:21And that changed a lot, you know, training with Emmanuel, the guy knows how to have fun.
03:26He has a, maybe a lighter perspective of the sport.
03:51He knows how to have fun with him.
03:55In that sense, if they remain a human parent that can beancic, 움직ible the devil skick...
04:01He knows what he knows.
04:02He knows how to be good for you...
04:02He knows how to be good for him.
04:02He knows how to be good for him.
04:03He knows how to take him good for him.
04:03You

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