A pole vaulting legend wants to see Ernest John Obiena make the podium for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Sergey Bubka, now a senior vice president of World Athletics, said he wants to see Obiena redeem himself from his performance after a fourth-place finish in the Paris Summer Games last August.
Obiena went over 5.90 meters in Paris but missed out on the podium after the count back.
“In 1984, I missed the medal — had to miss the LA Olympics because of the (US-led) boycott. So now he (Vitaly Petrov) wants to bring EJ there and aiming to win a medal in 2028,” Bubka said during a meet-and-greet event of Obiena over the weekend.
“Work hard. Be tough. Listen to Vitaly. Work a little bit on the technique. He knows what to do. He has potential and I believe he can have greater results and make Philippine people very proud.”
Petrov used to be Bubka’s coach as well.
Bubka, who compete for the Soviet Union, boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics due to safety concerns.
Obiena, who is currently in the country recovering from a back injury, vows to do better once he fully heals up.