Aminado ang organizers,mahirap ang Olympics kung wala pang COVID-19 vaccine

Isa ang Filipino pole vaulter at Olympic qualifier na si EJ Obiena sa mga nagdarasal at umaasang matutuloy na ang Tokyo Olympics sa susunod na taon sa gitna ng kasalukuyang sitwasyon kung saan walang kasiguruhan halos lahat sanhi ng coronavirus pandemic. Iniurong ang Tokyo Olympics sa Hulyo 2021 dahil sa banta ng COVID-19.

Gayunman, mismong ang mga health officials ng host Japan ay nangangambang magiging mahirap ang pagdaraos ng Games kung wala pa ring bakuna para sa nasabing virus.

Kasalukuyan pa ring nasa Italya si Obiena at nagsasanay sa gitna ng pandemic.

“I’m banking on my coach that I’m going to be on the 2021 Olympics. I’m hoping for a really good one in 2021," ang maluha-luhang wika ni Obiena sa isang video press conference na isinagawa ng Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.

"To be honest, I’m 24. Quarter life in many ways. I need to think about my future as well. I’m being honest as I can be. I need to think about what I’m going to do with my life. Doing sports is not really cutting it right now.” “I want this and I decided to go for Tokyo 2020 and I’m going to make sure I’m going to be there. If it’s cancelled, I think it’s going to haunt me. I think I’m gonna go for Paris. But I really want Tokyo. I really want it badly and I want to do realy good as well. It’s hard to say what I’m going to do after Tokyo but I’m here."

Nilalagyan ng kumot ni Obiena ang bahagi ng kanyang babagsakan sa high jumping kada praktis uoang maiwasan ang hawaan nila ng ibang atleta na gumagamit din ng pasilidad. Nagpapasalamat si Obiena sa kanyang coach na si Vitaly Petrov dahil na-motivate sya nito ipagpatuloy ang training sa kabila ng naging postponement ng Olympics. Sa tulong ng kanyang coach, mas tinitingnan nya ngayon ang positibong aspeto na maaaring idulot ng naging postponement ng Tokyo Olympics. “I have more time to prepare. I have more time to be ready. It’s a thing that I should look forward to and not think that the Tokyo Olympics isn’t going to happen. I’m still qualified. I’m still going to the 2021 Olympics. I’m going to be there. Might as well use this time to be ready and prepare,” ayon pa kay Obiena.