EJ Obiena will be entering the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest with a proper mindset as he seeks to improve his bronze medal finish last year.
Obiena, 27, said on Tuesday that not much will change in his physical preparations as he enters the biggest athletics competition in the world.
The three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist is the first Filipino to win a medal in the World Athletics Championships after hitting 5.94 meters for a third place finish last year in Eugene, Oregon.
“The World Championships is where the best of the best will be. For me, my mindset is to compete at the best that I can,” Obiena said in a television interview.
“Going into the World Championships, I want a medal, hopefully higher than the last position last year.”
Obiena won’t be alone in this year’s World Championships as he will be joined by Robyn Brown, who qualified after a gold medal in the women’s 4x400m hurdles in the Asian Athletics Championships in Pattaya, Thailand last 16 July.
Southeast Asian Games gold medalist long jumper Janry Ubas is also seeking to join Obiena and Brown as he collects points to make it into the top 36 in the World Athletics rankings.
With Obiena recently hitting 5.82m in the Monaco Diamond League, Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary general Edward Kho said 5.80m will be the mark Obiena has to be comfortable hitting to get over higher heights.
“For EJ, his performance is cruising in the 5.80m range so that when the Olympics come, he will be comfortable in making past 5.80m,” Kho said.
