Photo: EJ Obiena / FB

Despite his recent gold medal in Poland, Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena announced that he will not be able to participate in the upcoming Asian Indoor Championships in Kazakhstan next week. In a post on Instagram, Obiena expressed his disappointment at not being able to compete.

The main reason behind Obiena's absence from the competition is due to the transportation issues of his poles. Despite efforts from his federation (PATAFA) and his mentor James Lafferty, not a single airline was willing to bring his poles to Astana, Kazakhstan. This has resulted in many Asian pole vaulters also pulling out of the competition.

Another issue affecting Obiena is the continuing financial problems his team is facing. Payments have been stalled and some members of his team are now threatening to leave. Obiena hopes that these issues will be resolved soon so that he can continue to work with his team in future competitions.

Despite this setback, he remains positive and is looking ahead to upcoming competitions. He expressed his gratitude for the support and understanding of his fans.