Tolentino rallies behind Obiena

All is not lost for Ernest John Obiena despite failing to qualify in the men’s pole vault final of the World Athletics Championships over the weekend in Tokyo.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told DAILY TRIBUNE the 29-year-old Obiena still has more opportunities in the near future.

Obiena, a two-time World Championships medalist, only tallied 5.55 meters as he failed to make the Top 12 in the biggest athletics meet outside of the Olympics.

“There's an off night for athletes, right? Even world record holder Mondo Duplantis used to do that,” Tolentino said. “He (Obiena) did falter but he'll recover. That's how it is.”

Obiena still has two more competitions before the year ends in hopes of regaining his confidence for next year’s outdoor season.

First will be the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge on 21 September in Makati City.

Obiena will still have tough rivals to face.

The cast in this weekend’s event includes Menno Vloon of the Netherlands, Ersi Sasma of Turkey, Thiabut Collet of France, American champion Austin Miller, former World Championships silver medalist Piotr Lisek of Poland, European Championships bronze medalist Oleg Zernikel of Germany, and Pan-American Games winner Matt Ludwig of the United States.