“It’s tough”: Mondo Duplantis’ Rival Opens Up On Competing Against LSU Star

Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis has been dominating the pole vault world. The Swedish-American pole vaulter recently broke his own world record at the 2023 Diamond League Finals in Eugene when he cleared 6.23m. This was also Duplantis’ seventh time breaking a world record in his career. Although the back-to-back world champion is in a league of his own, a Filipino pole vaulter is chasing Mondo’s crown. EJ Obiena has become the face of Filipino sport with his pole vault silver medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, the first in the Philippines’ history.

Obiena also holds the Asian pole vaulting record and is the only man in Asia to date who has cleared the 6-meter mark in the pole vault. However, despite all these achievements, he still falls short of the performances put in by Armand Duplantis and recently opened up on the challenges while achieving them.

EJ Obiena opens up on facing Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis

EJ Obiena finished second behind Armand Duplantis at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. A few weeks later, at the 2023 Diamond League Finals in Eugene, Duplantis once again got the better of Obiena as he set a new world record of 6.23m while the Filipino finished second with 5.28m. Obiena claims that he is friends with Duplantis but is also equally aware of the competition posed by the Swede. In a recent interview with the Olympics, Obiena said, “It’s tough. I mean it’s never been easy but jumping in an era when a guy casually jumps six meters, I think it’s not been [seen] in any era of pole vaulting. I don’t think anyone has been that consistent the way he has been. And it’s hard to keep up but at the same time he drives us.”

In the 2023 season, EJ Obiena has emerged as the closest rival of Armand Duplantis but still has not been able to pose a real threat to Mondo’s dominance. The Filipino believes that having a dominant star player will help the sport of pole vault get the world’s attention. But Obiena is also distraught by the fact that even jumping six meters is not enough anymore since Duplantis has completely changed the sport. Nevertheless, Obiena is doing great things for Filipino sports, but he also believes that his success would not have been possible without other Filipino athletes.

EJ Obiena is grateful for his fellow Filipino athletes

EJ Obiena claims that his success and passion are inspired by Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who became the first Filipino to secure an Olympic gold medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The pole vaulter further said, “You know, credit where credit is due, I’m standing on the shoulder of a titan,” as he referred to Diaz. Obiena also highlighted that Diaz’s Olympic gold medal broke the barriers for Filipino sport and encouraged others like him to realize that other Filipinos can also achieve that winning feeling.

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As for his competition with LSU alum Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis, EJ Obiena will be gearing up once again to face him at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While he maintains his friendship with Duplantis, Obiena will be aiming to make a leap for the pole vault’s top spot next year. 

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