After months of nagging pain, two-time Olympian Ernest John Obiena is finally fit and ready to compete in various indoor events next year.
The 28-year-old Obiena made the announcement on social media, saying that he had already recovered from the back injury that slowed him down during the Summer Games in Paris last August.
“I’m officially cleared by Dr. Alessandro Napoli and have fully recovered from my lower back injury. Thank you to everyone who supported me during this journey,” said Obiena, whose injury prompted him to register only 5.90 meters for a fourth-place finish in the previous Summer Games.
He also missed the Diamond League as he opted to focus on his recovery while reconnecting with his friends and family back home.
“I have been MIA (missing in action) here because I have been focusing myself on getting back into shape and be ready by January! Here’s to the start of the 2025 season!”
Grueling schedule awaits Obiena in 2025.
Before the 34th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December, Obiena will see action in the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in China in March, and the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Japan in September.
He will also compete in the Diamond League where he gets a golden chance to redeem himself against Armand Duplantis, the reigning Olympic champion who holds the world record.
Now fit and healthy, Obiena stands a solid chance against the Swedish powerhouse as he seeks to bounce back from a fifth-place finish in the event’s 2023 edition in Eugene, Oregon.