MANILA, Philippines — Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena toned down expectations ahead of his first competition following the surgery on his knee.
On track to get back to competition in time for the INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe in Germany, Obiena said it's far-fetched that he'll be competing for the top spot.
"I wish I was in another circumstance so I could actually be honestly saying that I'm out there to win it. But right now, I'm out here to compete and still perform the best so that I can get some points," Obiena told CNN Philippines' New Day earlier this week.
Among Obiena's competitors in Karlsruhe is world record holder and top pole vaulter Armand Duplantis.
Though ranked World No. 5 himself, Obiena remained reserved on how well he can do considering his health.
"I think the Top 8 in the world will be there, so it's not going to be an easy competition to be at," he said.
This will be Obiena's first taste of action since September 2021.
Obiena was forced to cut his season short last year due to lack of funding.
The competition will also be coming on the heels of his ongoing rift with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.