By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
EJ Obiena announced on Wednesday, Aug. 28, that he is ending his season prematurely due to a recurring back injury.
The world No. 3 pole vaulter said he intended to compete in three more competitions — the ISTAF Berlin in Germany, the Zurich Diamond League in Switzerland and the Diamond League Final — before flying back to Manila but had to withdraw after MRI results revealed he has a fractured L5 vertebra.
The injury recurred during his stint at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland last weekend where he finished fifth.
“During the Silesia Diamond League, the same back pain that has bothered me all season flared up,” Obiena posted on social media.
“Due to the continual spasms, I couldn’t finish my last few attempts. I immediately went to my doctor in Italy, and the MRI revealed what appeared to be a stress fracture in my spine,” he added.
Obiena said ending the season early would avoid worsening the fracture. Apart from the three tournaments, he is also cancelling the Philippines Pole Vault competition slated on Sept. 20.
The PH event is actually a project he is organizing where he plans to bring some of the world’s finest pole vaulters.
“Hopefully now that I’ve identified the source of my back problems this year, with the required four weeks off to heal, I’m hoping to return pain-free and ready for the 2025 indoor season,” Obiena said.
The two-time Olympian earlier said he has been bothered by back pains for some time including during the 2024 Paris Olympics early this month where he finished fourth and missed the podium by a single jump.
“The best thing to do right now, with ensuring my best future, is to rest and recuperate and come back even stronger. I am going to honor my promise: You’ll see more of me and the Philippine flag will be raised on a global scale. It will simply have to wait a little bit longer,” Obiena said.
