EJ ready for SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines — World No. 3 pole vaulter EJ Obiena will arrive in Cambodia from his base in Italy on Sunday, go for his third career SEA Games gold the next day then leave on May 10, escaping jet lag during the competition.

“I’ll try to go in there and get the job done,” said Obiena who was relieved that his poles were shipped from Manila on board the same PAL evening flight that most of PATAFA’s 30 male and 21 female athletes took last Tuesday. Obiena skipped the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Kazakhstan last February because his poles couldn’t be accommodated by any airline from his transit point to Astana.

PATAFA president Terry Capistrano said the poles that were sent from Nevada to Tokyo for the Olympics in 2021 will be used by Obiena in Cambodia. “The poles were delivered in case EJ’s poles from Rome wouldn’t make it,” said Capistrano. “From Tokyo, (PATAFA secretary-general) Edward (Kho) and coach Emerson (Obiena) brought the poles to Manila as spares. They’re the poles that we sent to Cambodia.”

Kho said jet lag won’t be an issue with Obiena even if he’s scheduled to compete the day after arriving from Italy. “Normally for athletes, jet lag kicks in on the fifth day,” said Kho. Two other athletes flew in from different countries to join the delegation in Cambodia. Kristina Knott (100, 200, 4x100), who tested herself in competitions in Tokyo, went straight from Japan early this week and Eric Cray (100, 400m hurdles, 4x100 alternate, 4x400 alternate, 4x400 mixed alternate) arrived from the US Wednesday.

Aside from Knott and Cray, the Fil-Ams in the PATAFA team are Natalie Uy (pole vault), Umajesty Williams (200, 400, 4x400m mixed), William Morrison (shot put), Elijah Cole (pole vault), Robyn Brown (400m hurdles, 4x400, 4x400 mixed), Kayla Richardson (100, 200, 4x100), Kyla Richardson (4x100, 4x400, 4x400 mixed), Alyana Nicolas (pole vault) and John Tolentino (110m hurdles).

Making their SEA Games debut are Cole, Williams, Ernie Calipay (high jump), Marvin Rafols (long jump), John Paul Sarmiento (javelin throw), Ginnah Malapit (javelin throw), Jamela de Asis (shot put), Lianne Pama (4x100), Ruffa Sorongon (marathon) and Arlan Arbois (marathon). Also in the roster are second-generation athletes Eduard Buenavista (5,000, 3,000m steeplechase) and Mico del Prado (4x400m, 4x400m mixed alternate). Buenavista’s father Eduardo is in the delegation as long distance coach while Del Prado’s father Isidro is the sprints coach.