EJ Obiena urges support for athletes: ‘We have good days and bad days’

MANILA — Philippine pole-vaulter EJ Obiena urged the public to show support for tennis-star, Alex Eala amid criticism over her recent losses, stressing that disappointing results should not define an athlete’s career.

In a social media post, Obiena addressed the backlash surrounding Eala, using her recent struggles to highlight the pressure athletes face to deliver results and how a single competition can overshadow years of preparation and hard work.

Eala has faced criticisms following her recent setbacks last September, including an early exit at the Wuhan Open and a round-of-16 defeat at the Singapore Tennis Open and a bronze medal-finish at the 2026 Asian Games after losing in the women’s singles semifinals despite entering the competition as the top seed.

“In the 100m, around ten seconds can judge a year of work,” Obiena said, comparing the pressure athletes face to having their professional careers judged by a single meeting or project.

The two-time Olympian cited Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic as an example, pointing to the 24-time champion alongside his numerous defeats to illustrate that even the sport’s most accomplished athletes cannot win every competition.

“Perfection can be an objective; yet is never achieved,” Obiena said.

The Filipino pole vaulter also emphasized that athletes experience the same good and bad days as people in other professions, comparing a disappointing competition to a failed meeting or project at work.

“We are human. And like all humans we have good days and bad days,” he wrote.

Applying this perspective to Eala’s situation, Obiena questioned whether an athlete’s string of losses should be treated as a sign of failure, extending his message to other national athletes, including himself, who also experience setbacks in their careers.

He also addressed the criticism athletes face on social media, arguing that harsh comments do little to help them recover from disappointing performances.

“Kicking someone when they are having a bad day is poor recipe for getting the desired result you seek,” Obiena wrote.

Obiena encouraged the public to consider how they would want to be treated during their own difficult ways and to extend the same understanding to athletes facing setbacks.

“Ask yourself: ‘How do I want to be supported when I have a bad day?’ Then act accordingly. Some days we win. Some days we lose,” he said.