The weight of the straps and mints dangling on Ernest John Obiena wouldn’t come close to the massive pressure he is carrying every time he steps on the field. The pole vault sensation has been bruised and battered by the toughest of competitions, and was on the knife’s edge in an ugly mess with his own federation a few months back. Yet, loyalty came to fruition, and his unmatched devotion to don the national colors might soon be his biggest strength when he troops to Paris as a legitimate force to win an Olympic medal in less than two years. Putting the memory of the controversies behind, and getting himself sharp — mentally and physically — on a backbreaking stretch in Europe, Obiena delivered from one tournament to another that catapulted him to the No. 3 ranking in the world. In a show of his readiness to take on the elite athletes of the highly technical and demanding sport, the pride of Tondo, Manila placed third and rewrote his own Asian record with a jump of 5.94 meters in the World Athletics Championship in Oregon behind Olympic champion Armand Duplantis and Tokyo silver medalist Chris Nilsen last July. Obiena then shocked Duplantis in a monumental upset at the Diamond League in Brussels, very much the highlight of his victorious lap in the European season that saw him win six gold medals in eight tournaments. It was an energy-sapping run that spanned for more than two weeks and dotted across major cities in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. What a way to celebrate his triumphs in foreign tilts but a warm embrace from his family, his mother Jeanette and father Emerson, as Obiena, after three years of being away, tucked himself to a flight back to Manila to “disconnect and rest.” Obiena said he would spend three weeks of vacation to go island hopping, bask on the finest beaches, and, of course, indulge on local food, all of which were missing when this 26-year-old athlete took it deeply to his heart the mission of serving the nation’s pride. He deserves it. But when his break is done, Obiena made clear his intention to qualify for the Paris Games and surpass his mark in Tokyo where he finished 11th overall. With all these achievements in the 2022 season, he will surely be a medal contender. A shot for the gold is also within his target, considering his stunning victory over Duplantis that humbled the Swedish superstar. With Obiena soaring high, and the likes of Hidilyn Diaz, Carlos Yulo, Alex Eala, and the national boxers keeping themselves armed to the teeth, the Philippines is looking at an exciting future in sports in the years to come.