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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider EJ Obiena reveals he got Covid prior to world championships

EJ Obiena reveals he got Covid prior to world championships

Published Aug 27, 2023 09:19 am

At A Glance

  • The world No. 3 pole vaulter disclosed this on Sunday, Aug. 27, less than 24 hours after sharing the podium with world champion Armand Duplantis and bronze winners Kurtis Marschall and Chris Nilsen in Budapest, Hungary.

The road to the historic silver medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships didn’t come easy for EJ Obiena after he revealed he tested positive to Covid weeks prior to the competition.

ej obiena2
EJ Obiena said he lost two weeks of heavy training after testing positive for Covid prior to the world championships. (AFP)

The world No. 3 pole vaulter disclosed this on Sunday, Aug. 27, less than 24 hours after sharing the podium with world champion Armand Duplantis and bronze winners Kurtis Marschall and Chris Nilsen in Budapest, Hungary.

“Life is like a rose,” Obiena wrote in a lengthy social media post.

“A mere two weeks ago, the thorns got to me. I was sick with Covid. I lost almost two weeks of heavy training, and I started to question why I got the thorns,” he added.

A two-minute video accompanied the post, which, Obiena said, he filmed during quarantine.

“This video will not come out if I don’t (get to the) podium,” he said on the video.

“Right now, it’s a question if I’ll be physically able to compete among the best of the best in the world. I’m just praying to God that there’s a reason why this is happening.”

“It’s mentally taxing right now, knowing that I might just have the best season of my career but come the major championships, I got sick and got Covid. It’s tough.”

Fortunately, the 27-year-old Tondo native recovered in time for the qualification round last Wednesday, Aug. 23, where he cleared 5.75 meters to advance to the finals last Saturday, Aug. 26.

The rest, they say, is history.

Obiena matched his own Asian record of 6.00m to claim silver behind Duplantis, 6.10m.

It surpassed his previous historic feat in Eugene, Oregon last year, where he landed the bronze medal.

"It’s strange to contemplate, but perhaps I would never have silver-medalled without the thorns of Covid and being sick," Obiena wrote.

"Thorns toughen you up. Thorns make you appreciate the beauty of the rose," he added.

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