EJ Obiena sees pole vaulting not as a career, but an 'opportunity to make history'

For world no. 3 EJ Obiena, pole vaulting for him is not a career, but instead an opportunity to make history.

The Filipino Olympian admitted that he is aware that his sport is not a professional sport like basketball or golf, and instead, is an opportunity to be part of Olympic history.

"I never really saw it as a career. And I think and I am one of those athletes that I understand that this is not a career, this is my opportunity to make history," Obiena said in an interview on podcast 'Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel.'

He said that he considered a career as something that "puts food on the plate" or something that one can do for a long time, things that he doesn't necessarily see in his sport.

"The reality of the sport, in a world that I live in, we don't make money. It's not a professional sport, like basketball, or volleyball, or baseball, or golf, or tennis. Anybody I interact with will tell you that, and it is just an opportunity to be part of this, that very historic Olympic movement," he shared.

Prior to Hidilyn Diaz' first Olympic gold medal back in the Tokyo Olympics, Obiena said the opportunity to get an Olympic medal for the country was something he would not pass up.

"At that time in the Olympics, we didn't have a gold medal. The first was done by Hidilyn [Diaz] and it is something that I saw, it's an opportunity for me to be part of the history. And it is something that was truly possible. And I cannot just pass on that moment."

"Imagine you're 50, you're telling your kid 'Hey, I was once this' and then they'll actually read up on you and you know, history books, and, this kid's having your grandchildren or your kid even having your own surname and and they're in class," EJ said, citing Diaz as an example.

"Like, yeah, the first gold medal is actually Hidilyn Diaz and you hold that last name Diaz.  And you know, your mom is Hidilyn Diaz, you know, that sense of pride that your kid and you also feel is something... it makes me just more motivated. So that's, that's how I see it."

For now, Obiena himself has made history for breaking the Asian record in pole vault last 2021, and resetting his own record last July.

Earlier, Obiena also bagged another gold medal in Germany and has reached the standard for a slot in the World Championships for next year.

—JMB, GMA News