Filipino Olympian EJ Obiena during the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball game between La Salle and Ateneo at the Araneta Coliseum on September 15, 2024. UAAP Media/File

MANILA — EJ Obiena is happy to compete in his first tournament in 2025 without pain after his previous year’s campaign was cut short by injury.

The two-time Olympian recently opened the year with a second-place finish in the International Jump Meeting Cottbus 2025 in Germany, and the Filipino star was ecstatic about the manner of how he returned to competition.

"I'm happy, very positively happy that the first competition's done and I'm getting the feel of how my body reacts," said the 2024 Paris Olympian. "It's a good sign. I'm very excited with how [this year] is going to be."

"I never really expected 2025 to start where I'm at. I'm trying to redefine what it is I'm doing,” he added.

Obiena cleared 5.65 meters in Germany, while finishing ahead of him was USA’s Sam Kendricks who topped the tourney with 5.75m.

The world’s fourth-best pole vaulter dealt with back issues ahead and during his stint in Paris, with Obiena eventually placing fourth in the quadrennial meet, but EJ shared that fortunately, he is now healed.

"I was cleared around the third week of October," he said. "I got slowly, slowly back into the mix of things, training camps here and there."

With this, Obiena is optimistic for how the rest of the year will be going, especially since among his plans this year are competing in the World Indoor Championships in China this March, the Asian Championships in Korea this May, the World Outdoor Championship in Japan this September, and possibly the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December 2025.

"I'm quite happy it went the way it went,” said the student of Vitaly Petrov who has also been training with Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergey Bubka.

"We train indoors to prepare for outdoors. We've gotten a few couple of good inputs from Sergey. A coach tells you the same thing but an athlete who has done it himself has a different sense," Obiena highlighted. "You get to the idea a little bit more."

Among the focal points that Obiena is looking to improve on, he shared, is being more efficient and “having more energy into the pole.”

"Training-wise, we're not really pushing the limit per se, but we're making smart moves — avoid injury, be smart with things,” he said. “I've trained with Vitaly now for ten years, he knows how much load I can carry and what the schedule's going to be like."

Aside from technical aspects, EJ is also looking forward to being more prepared mentally and emotionally.

"I've learned in 2023 how to distribute my season and be smart and professional about it," Obiena said. "I'd love to suit up for the Philippines. It's always a privilege to represent the country but I need to look at the bigger picture of what I'm doing."

Also, he plans to visit the Philippines and spend some time here.

"It's home, and my family's there. I really want to spend more time with them," Obiena said, while expressing his message for his countrymen.

“There's more to come. I hope to vault in the Philippines soon," he expressed. "I hope to make you guys all proud. I think there's more in store up ahead. As soon as I can share it, I'll share it," Obiena said.

RELATED VIDEO: