EJ Obiena has come to the defense not only of Alex Eala, but also of fellow athletes like himself.
On Monday, Obiena took to social media to elucidate the harsh realities of being an athlete, especially at the highest of levels, and to remind fans of the best way they can support the men and women who represent the Philippines in the sometimes-brutal world of sports, where “the day of competition unfairly validates the hours we have spent training and pushing,” according to the bemedalled Obiena.
“It’s a brutally tough business, and the chances of failure are far larger than those of success,” the two-time Olympian added. “Imagine your professional life being defined by one meeting, one project, one day of work? That is sports, with its curves and edges.”
Obiena, who has had a renaissance in 2026 after an injury-ravaged 2025, then pointed out that even tennis icon Novak Djokovic, whom he described as “the greatest of all time in terms of Slams, amount of weeks as world number one, and trophies,” accrued his fair share of losses—240, according to Obiena—including a few in succession.
Obiena Defends Eala, Fellow Athletes
The two-time men’s pole vault Asian Games champion then came to the defense of Alex Eala, specifically, and disputed the idea that the 21-year-old has failed in light of her recent struggles that included a semis exit in the same Asian Games where Obiena set a continental record.
“Asking if Alex’s string of losses suggests she has failed is the wrong question (or for any national athlete for that matter, yours truly included),” Obiena noted. “There is no such thing as failure in attempting, and in sports, there are good days and bad days, and some days you win and some days you lose, which is what gives sport its beauty and toughness.”
Obiena Asks for Support, Not Bashing and Hate
The Tondo native next pointed out the best way to help athletes like himself, Eala, and others—and no, it doesn’t involve bashing, below-the-belt comments, ridicule, and that sort of thing. The best support fans can give, according to Obiena, is the kind that helps athletes pick themselves up and rise above their level.
“If you want to help Alex, me, or any athlete, pick us up when we are down. Harsh comments are not the support that helps us return stronger,” the 30-year-old said. “Just like maybe our boss gives us a pat on the back during a ‘loss,’ even the toughest athlete has tough stretches and needs a pat on the back. Pulling out knives on social media I can tell you won’t help. If you want to help Alex, me, or any of our athletes, pick them up when they are down. Kicking someone when they are having a bad day is poor recipe for getting the desired result you seek.”
Eala has been under intense scrutiny lately after falling to the unheralded Han Shi of China in the first round of the Wuhan Open a few days ago, her semis exit at the 20th Asian Games at the hands of China’s Wang Xiyu, and her loss to Tatiana Prozorova in the Round of 16 of the Singapore Open. The 21-year-old Filipina is scheduled to open her WTA 500 BNB Ningbo Open campaign later tonight against Diane Parry.
The Classy Thing to Do
In the end, Obiena asked fans for empathy and enjoined them to think about what it’s like being an athlete at this high level.
The world No. 10 ended his piece as thus: “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.”
That, according to EJ Obiena, is the classy thing to do.
