His father is a pole vaulter. His mother, a hurdler. Some might think it’s just the natural order of things that EJ Obiena is the athlete he is today.

However, like many parents (or people in general), the Obienas did not have a magic crystal ball that showed them EJ would eventually become an Olympian — one who’d be just a spot shy of finishing on the podium of the men’s pole vault competition in Paris 2024.

Rizal Memorial Sports Complex was his playground

“Hindi po namin nakita ‘yun. He’s just a kid who tagged along with his dad,” EJ’s mom, Jeanette Obiena, said in an interview on the program ‘Sa Totoo Lang’ in One PH. “We didn’t really see that it will go this far,” the Obiena matriarch added.

Jeanette and her husband, Emerson, were just living their lives, balancing their athletic commitments alongside parenting duties at the time. Emerson, now a Philippine athletics coach, spent most of his days on the track back then as a national team pole vaulter. He had no choice but to bring EJ with him.

“Wala kasi kaming yaya na magbabantay, kaya ‘yung Rizal Memorial [Sports Complex], ‘yun ‘yung malaking playground nila,” Mommy Jeanette added.

When they did see that EJ was always enjoying the field, Daddy Emerson, a four-time Southeast Asian Games medalist himself, took his chance.

He was three when he first held a pole

“When he was 3 turning 4 years old, that’s the first time he held a pole. And it was my pole. He’s trying to mimic me, he’s dragging my pole,” Emerson told 8List in an exclusive interview. “That’s when I started to think, ‘O, ginagaya ako ng anak ko. Subukan ko nga mamaya pagkatapos ko mag-training, pahawakin ko ng pole ko, pakakapitin ko, tapos ibabato ko siya papunta doon sa kutson.’”

The rest is history, as EJ never left pole vaulting since then.

As a baby, EJ reached some development milestones early. Perhaps that was a sign? “Maaga siya nag-walk. 10 months old he could walk already,” said Jeanette.

An all-or-nothing athlete

Fast forward to today, EJ is now 28 and turning 29 in November. Fans are curious about his plans for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, when he will be 32. EJ has yet to give a final word, and says he will continue to train and “take it one year at a time.”

If you ask Mommy Jeanette, she’s sure EJ will do his best.

“Kilala naman namin si EJ. He’s the person who doesn’t want a what-if,” she said. “Ayaw niya ‘yung may nakabitin.”

Whatever he decides, Emerson and Jeanette are proud parents. When one brings up Paris, they’re not even thinking that EJ fell short of a medal.

“We’re very, very happy. And we’re very, very proud kung ano ‘yung nagawa niya doon. Masayang masaya po,” a beaming Jeanette said.

And they promise to support him every step of the way.

“Keep [his] body healthy and go for the happiness that he wants. We’re all here.”