World No. 2 Pole Vaulter Ernest John Obiena took to social media on Sunday his gratitude and apologies to his supporters for causing a scare during the men's pole vault qualifiers in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"Sorry po sa mga napakaba ko kanina. Ako rin po kinabahan ng todo ng di ko maintindihan," Obiena mentioned in his X account.
Going to my second Olympic final 👊
— EJ Obiena (@ejobienapv) August 4, 2024
Sorry po sa mga napakaba ko kanina. Ako rin po kinabahan ng todo ng di ko maintindihan.
Thank you for everyone who sticked thru the emotional rollercoaster. See you all on August 5 at 7pm CET. #parasabayan pic.twitter.com/uwG53jLE3E
Obiena seemed to have a shaky opening where he failed to clear 5.60 meters in two of his three attempts. The Filipino pole vaulter initially skipped the 5.40 starting height and opted to proceed with 5.60 m instead.
After which, he went for a tough decision to move up to 5.70 meters mark which he cleared in his first attempt.
This bold decision paved the way for him to advance in the finals of the competition and get the 7th spot.
The Asian Games gold medalist will be participating in the finals in hope for another podium finish for the country on August 6 (Manila time).