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Coach Vitaly Petrov, pole vault legend Sergey Bubka believe EJ Obiena can podium in LA Olympics

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Dyan Castillejo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — It was a reunion of pole vault  greats as EJ Obiena welcomed his world renowned Coach Vitaly Petrov to Manila late Saturday evening. Arriving with Petrov was pole vault legend Sergey Bubka, a Ukrainian world champion many times over and 1988 Olympic champion and the first pole vaulter to clear 6.1 meters.</p><p>It was Bubka who introduced Obiena to Petrov more than a decade ago.</p><p>&quot;It was 10 years ago when I recommended Vitay to EJ. He was only jumping 4.90 and now look what they have done. Fantastic job. Congratulations it’s really amazing. Ej has won Silver medal at the World Championships, he joined 6 m club. I&#x27;m so proud.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/8/17/ej-obiena-relishes-special-24-hours-back-in-manila-1903">READ: EJ Obiena seeks grassroots support for PH to produce next pole vault star</a></div><p>Obiena was with his girlfriend Caroline, mom Jeannette and sister to welcome Petrov and Bubka.</p><p>It is the first time for the coach to visit the PH.</p><p>&quot;The invite has been there since 2015. And he said &#x27;if you jump 5.70&#x27;. Finally after 10 years he comes.&quot; said Obiena. </p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:551px;height:538px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1835081018476532068&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Anews-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2024-09-15T01%3A26%3A43.761068%3A0d227daa-8b82-45ea-9491-1653c835aa65%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=8fdbe660436c66c315dec548ee519e1fca37bda1&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1835081018476532068"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Petrov reitered his belief and confidence in Obiena and feels the Filipino can do more in the sport.</p><p>&quot;I believe in him. He has all the tools. In 2-3 years, I think, 6.10 m minimum,&quot; said Petrov.</p><p>&quot;He wants EJ to break my record (6.14 m) and jump 6.15 meters. He is so motivated now he wants new record for his pupil.&quot;</p><p>Bubka and Petrov believe Obiena can win a medal in the next LA 2028 Olympics.</p><p>&quot;He wants that EJ get a medal in the next Olympics. He was very close in the Paris games,&quot; said Bubka.</p><p>&quot;He has all the skills. He has the best coach in the world. I recommend him first to be healthy, then continue to push himself to achieve his dream, to achieve Olympic medal and break my record. He should make very high goals. There is Mondo Duplantis of course but he is second in the world.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/8/17/ej-obiena-relishes-special-24-hours-back-in-manila-1903">READ: EJ Obiena relishes &#x27;special&#x27; 24 hours back in Manila</a></div><p>There is special motivation for Petrov as his former pupil Bubka had to miss the LA 1984 games.</p><p>&quot;In 1984, I missed the medal — had to miss the LA Olympics because of the boycott. So now he wants to bring EJ there and aiming to win a medal in 2028.&quot;</p><p>The 1984 boycott was by Eastern bloc nations and led by the Soviet Union.</p><p>Obiena appreciates the support from both Petrov and Bubka.</p><p>&quot;That’s what happens when you have the best coach in the world. I am blessed. I want to be the best athlete my coach ever trained.&quot;</p><p>Final words from Bubka, &quot;Work hard. Be tough. Listen to Vitaly. Work a little bit on the technique. He knows what to do. He has potential. And I believe he can have greater results and make Philippine people very proud.&quot;</p><p>Obiena will be showing his coach around the city and hopefully get to explore some islands.</p>

<p>"The invite has been there since 2015. And he said 'if you jump 5.70'. Finally after 10 years he comes." said Obiena. </p>

"The invite has been there since 2015. And he said 'if you jump 5.70'. Finally after 10 years he comes." said Obiena.

Coach Vitaly Petrov, pole vault legend Sergey Bubka believe EJ Obiena can podium in 2028 LA Olympics

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Coach Vitaly Petrov, pole vault legend Sergey Bubka believe EJ Obiena can podium in 2028 LA Olympics

Dyan Castillejo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 15, 2024 09:20 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 15, 2024 03:15 PM PHT

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EJ Obiena

Vitaly Petrov

Sergey Bubka

ABSSports

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