EJ Obiena 'disappointed' for missing podium finish at 2024 Paris Olympics: 'I came up short. I'm sorry'
Pole vaulter EJ Obiena apologized for falling short of a podium finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, describing sports as "beautiful but also brutal."
"There's a lot of things that happened this year," Obiena told One Sports in an interview after the competition on Tuesday, Aug. 6. "I'm thankful that I got to the finals, definitely, but at the same time, I was disappointed. It wasn't far."
"It's literally the same height, and I missed it with one attempt," he added.
Obiena described sports as "beautiful but also brutal."
He noted that he's lacking in consistency, and felt he needs a little bit more time.
"But you know, it's Olympics. It's not going to wait for everybody," he said. "I'm just here doing everything that I can."
Still, he thanked his team for the effort and "everyone who made this possible."
"But it doesn't make it less painful," Obiena said, adding that his coach told him it's not the end of the world. "But it feels like the end of the world."
According to the athlete, the results were not what he expected or was aiming for.
"I apologize. I promise I'm gonna go back after Tokyo (Olympics), and I did," Obiena said. "But... I came up short. I'm sorry."
'I will be back'
Obiena thanked his supporters for believing in him in a Facebook post later in the day. "[Fourth] place is painful to say the least; and in sports with three podium places, perhaps 4th is the harshest place to be," he opened up.
"I am heartbroken that a single failure cost me and cost a nation I so deeply love—the podium. I apologize for this outcome; such is life as the world of competitive sports can be exhilarating at times, and painful at others. I have experienced both and unfortunately today I am on the other side of it!" he continued.
Obiena, however, remains proud of what he "was actually able to stitch together for this Olympics, with all the struggles that came with this year."
"But still it hurts to be this close to an Olympic Medal," he said. "As anyone can imagine the reality is still sinking in and I am processing the outcome."
Moving forward, Obiena is looking to take things a day at a time.
"Thank you again for your support and standing by me. I love you all, and we all share a common love and pride for the Philippines. Carlos Yulo has already made this an Olympics to remember and I salute him," he said. "I am sorry I didn’t join him on the podium but I will be back. 'The good get up' as they say. I have been knocked down. But I will get back up."
Obiena, the world's no. 2 in men's pole vault, missed all three tries at 5.95 meters, placing fourth in the competition.
Nevertheless, it was an improvement from his performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he placed 11th.
Sweden's Mondo Duplantis, the world's no. 1, grabbed the gold. He also cleared 6.25m, breaking his own record. America's Sam Kendricks, the world's no. 3, finished with silver, while Greece's Emmanouil Karalis, the world's no. 8, got bronze.
Earlier this 2024, the 28-year-old Obiena was named Athlete of the Year by the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association.
He holds the Asian record, 6.00m, which he cleared at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.