Filipino star pole vaulter EJ Obiena hopes to do better in the 2022 World Athletics Championships, which is slated to be held next month in Eugene, Oregon.
The 26-year-old Obiena, who remains at no. 6 in the world athletics rankings, said this after earning his second gold medal in a month when he cleared 5.85m to claim the gold in the Golden Fly Series at the Sport City Stadium in L’Aquila, Italy on May 30.
Earlier, Obiena defended the men’s pole vault title at the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, where he set a new games’ record with a height of 5.46 meters.
“At the moment, it’s promising, very promising. Me and my coach are working on mistakes that I make on higher heights. We are on that path,” said Obiena on Power and Play as he prepares in his Formia, Italy training camp.
“We are on the path of doing better. Hopefully, we get good results,” added Obiena.
His performance in L’Aquila was so far his best this season.
But he is working improving his personal best and national mark of 5.93 meters he did during a meet in Maria-Theresien-Straße, Innsbruck, Australia in September last year.
Coach Vitaly Petrov is still coaching Obiena, constantly working on his approach to towards the jumping pit.
Obiena said his approach in L’Aquila was close to his usual of 16 steps, since he was able to clear the 5.85 meters on his 14th stride.
And he hopes to perfect the jump at the World Athletics Championships to be held in Eugene, Oregon in the United States slated on July 15 to 24.