IN SPORTS, ANYTHING can and will happen with pressure, especially when one is expected to carry an entire nation’s hopes and aspirations at his back. 

All eyes were on Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, the world’s second-ranked Pole Vaulter at that time, to be part of the few favorites to win another medal for the Philippines in the 2024 iteration of the Olympics set in Paris. After all, he was out on the quest for redemption, driven by the desire to eclipse his forgettable 11th-pace finish in Tokyo back in 2020. 

“He should hold his head high knowing that the Filipino people, at that crucial moment, believed in something greater than just medals—they believed in him.”

In the year leading up to the biggest sporting event of the year, Obiena would prove to be a formidable force in the stiff pole vault competition, having been the first Asian to join the six-meter club at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway.  

Besides his gold medals at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and Asian Games, and silver medal during the 2023 Athletics Championship, he most recently achieved a significant breakthrough in his career by winning gold at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze – Memorial Josip Gašparac in Croatia. 

By then, everyone, including myself, was on the edge of their seats, holding their breath and anticipating a massive sigh of relief after Obiena secured his first Olympic medal for the country.  

Unfortunately, it never came. 

Ending his Paris berth in heartbreak, Obiena failed to clear the 5.95-meter bar during the finals, signaling the conclusion of yet another Olympic dream. Shattered, he has fallen at the sight of thousands of Filipinos who tuned in to watch his game. 

While we can’t exactly point fingers in this scenario, Obiena bore the heaviest weight of a country expecting him to deliver in that pivotal moment. With all on the line, the pressure was immense, and the stakes were high; and despite facing the harsh reality of sports, where winners win and losers lose, he carried the burden with grace—even in the face of defeat. 

Pressure is a natural phenomenon in sports, but I’d argue that it isn’t all that negative. To feel pressure means that you are looked at to achieve greater results. To be pressured means that you are responsible for what you’ve done and not done, as everything you do must hold significance for the people around you. 

As Obiena puts it, “pressure is a privilege.” Indeed, it is a culmination of years of hard work to be at the pinnacle of your craft, a gentle reminder that you’ve made it. He should hold his head high knowing that the Filipino people, at that crucial moment, believed in something greater than just medals—they believed in him. 

And if you are under immense pressure by now, always remember that you are capable, relied on, and deserving of greatness. 

Email me at thebedan_associateeditor@sanbeda.edu.ph