The yearning for Olympic redemption will only grow stronger for EJ Obiena and Eumir Marcial.
Not a few Filipino fans ached for EJ Obiena on the heels of a near-podium finish in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 men’s pole vault finals on Tuesday, August 6 (Philippine time).
Count Eumir Marcial among them.
Marcial took to Facebook to give his fellow Olympian a pat on the back following his fourth-place finish at the Stade de France.
“Nararamdaman kita bro! may mga bagay talaga dito sa mundo na hindi natin kontrolado,” said the Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist.
The world no. 2 Obiena failed to clear 5.95m in three tries in the 12-man finale, which top-ranked Armand Duplantis lorded over for back-to-back gold medals on top of setting new Olympic and world records.
Crestfallen, the 28-year-old Filipino pole vaulter apologized for falling short.
“I apologize, I promised I’m gonna go back after Tokyo and do better. I did, but I would say it didn’t change in my book,” said an emotional Obiena.
“I came up short, I’m sorry. I apologize for it.”
[RELATED STORY: EJ Obiena apologizes after "painful" finish results in barely missing Olympic medal for Paris 2024]
In the same social media post, Marcial revealed both of them suffered undisclosed injuries weeks before the Olympic Games in the French capital.
“Dalawang linggo bago Olympics parehas nagka injury tayo dahilan para hindi tayo makaensayo ng maayos,” he said. “Pero hindi yun naging hadlang para lumaban tayo dito sa Olympics.”
If there’s anyone that understands Obiena’s pain better, it’s gotta be Marcial, whose second Olympic campaign in boxing also ended in disappointment as he lost in his first bout.
“Ngayon umiiyak tayo dahil hindi natin naiuwi ang tagumpay na gusto natin pagbalik ng Pilipinas,” the Filipino pugilist said.
“Masakit dahil mahal natin yung ginagawa natin at importante ito para saatin.”
[RELATED STORY: Eumir Marcial still ‘at loss for words’ after early exit in Paris 2024, admits suffering injury in Olympics build-up]
And for as long as they feel that throbbing pain, the resolve will only grow stronger as they yearn for redemption in the grandest sporting stage.
“Malungkot tayo ngayon pero darating ang panahon sa atin naman ang tagumpay,” Marcial added.