1. He was born to a family of athletes.

EJ’s parents, Emerson Obiena and Jeanette Uy, were both track and field athletes. His father was a pole vaulter and his mother competed as a hurdler. In fact, his dad competed internationally and is also a decorated pole vaulter, having won multiple medals in the Southeast Asian Games. It was he that got EJ’s fire for the sport ablaze.

2. He was trained by Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov.

What started out as an opportunity for an autograph from Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergey Bubka evolved into a beautiful collaboration as coach and athlete with Vitaly Petrov. Since 2014, Coach Vitaly has been in EJ’s corner, empowering him every step of the way.

3. He was the first Filipino athlete to qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

EJ made yet another mark in the history books as the first Filipino athlete to clinch a spot in the upcoming Olympics, which are set to take place in Paris, France. This was achieved only one day into the Olympic qualification season, as he was competing at the Bauhaus Galan in Stockholm, Sweden. He is now set to make his return to the most prestigious athletic competition in the world and carry the Philippines on his back as he sets off on a quest to bring home yet another medal for the country.

4. He took a huge leap of faith to pursue his Olympic dreams.

In 2017, EJ’s life took a terrible turn, he suffered from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that left him with two options; stay in the Philippines and complete his studies at the University of Santo Tomas or attempt to, what at the time felt impossible, try to qualify for the Olympics. After a lengthy 6 months of trying to figure out what his next move would be, he ultimately decided to take the leap and chase his dreams of being an Olympian.

5. He is the first Asian to join the 6-Meter Club.

EJ broke barriers as the first Asian athlete to join the exclusive 6-Meter Club, as he competed in the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway. This is a feat that only 24 people in the whole entire world and all of history have been able to achieve. EJ carried not just Filipinos, but the entire Asian community in this remarkable achievement.

6. He won gold at the 25th Asian Athletics Championships

For the first time since the 1987 Asian Athletics Championships, Filipino athletes have not had the best luck in their attempts to bring home gold medals for the country. However, that all changed not too long ago as EJ earned a major victory in the 25th edition of the competition on July 16, 2023. He is set to compete in Budapest, Hungary at the World's Athletics Championships in August.

7. He started with hurdles.

AJ started pole vaulting at the age of 8, but it wasn’t what he was initially invested in. In fact, he competed in the 100 and 400 meter hurdle events for most of his high school years. He only made the switch to pole vaulting in hopes of getting a scholarship at a good school for college. Little did he know that his decision to shift his focus would do a whole lot more than just that.

8. He has a sports psychologist.

EJ started working with a sports psychologist in 2019, the year he won his first championship. His sports psychologist helps him navigate through the pressure and noise that comes with being an athlete and competing at the highest level on the international stage.

9. He believes in having the right mindset.

All of the pressure, on top of the nonstop training and endless traveling that takes place when competing, can be extremely taxing for any athlete. EJ tackles this through using positive affirmations. Before stepping into competitions, he makes it a point to use positive reassurance to calm himself and shake his nerves. One thing he likes to mention to himself is, “I’ve done the work, this is my time to show it. I deserve this jump.” Ej consistently places a lot of importance on keeping his thoughts and mental state positive in the seconds that lead to jumping.

10. His sock game is strong.

With so much going on when watching pole vaulters in action, many are not keen on studying the attire of the athletes as they do their thing. Despite this, EJ makes it a point to keep his sock game strong. If you zoom in on photos, you will almost always see him sporting funky socks. EJ enjoys making a statement with his socks and letting his personality shine through them. In a recent interview, he mentioned that if he is able to win a competition, he frames the socks he’s wearing to keep them as a souvenir and remember the victory.

Follow along his incredible journey on his Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/ernestobienapv/

Written By Nico Belasco

Photographer, Writer, Speaker, Podcast Host, Creative

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