Pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena is among the Filipino athletes who have become symbols of pride and inspiration.
As the silver medalist at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and a top 4 finisher at the Paris Olympics 2023, EJ has earned widespread admiration from Filipino sports fans.
This interest extends to the important people in his life, particularly Caroline Joyeux, EJ's German girlfriend, who is also an athlete like him.
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) explores Caroline's story, her background, and the significant role she plays in EJ's happiness.
Read: EJ Obiena's girlfriend earns praises for being low-key
BACKGROUND
Full Name
Caroline is known officially and professionally as Caroline Joyeux, although she uses her nickname Caro on her social-media accounts.
Birthday, Age, Zodiac Signs
This 23-year-old lady was born on March 26, 2001, under the sign of Aries and the Year of the Snake.
Her astrological sign is Aries, known for its traits of determination, enthusiasm, and leadership.
Her Chinese zodiac sign is associated with wisdom, charm, and introspection.
Hometown
She hails from city of Berlin, the capital of Germany.
Height and Weight
Caroline stands at a height of 168 centimeters (5'6") and maintains a weight of 57 kilos (125.7 pounds).
Family
Caroline is part of a close-knit family of four which includes her father, her mother, and an older sister.
EDUCATION
Caroline has spent all her scholastic life in Germany.
At present, she is a college student at the public research university Technische Universität Berlin (Technical University Berlin).
CAREER
The young German athlete specializes in three disciplines: triple jump, long jump, and track and field.
According to the World Athletics Organization, Caroline earned most of her personal bests through the annual Deutsche Meisterschaften (lit. German Championships).
Her stats show that she is proficient in a number of track and field events, such as:
- 60 m hurdles
- 200 m short track
- 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relay
- 100 m sprint
She started competing in track events on January 21, 2017, and transitioned to field events—long jump and triple jump—in 2022.
At the 30. Midsommar Meeting in Berlin on July 17, 2024, she secured first place in the triple jump with a performance of 13.64 meters and a score of 1081.
Read: EJ Obiena finishes fourth in Paris Olympics men's pole vault
PERSONAL LIFE
Caroline's long-term, low-key relationship with EJ
EJ was able to talk about how his relationship with Caroline started through an episode that came out on the Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel podcast on August 24, 2022.
He related, "I met her here in the training camp. And then I had a trip, a trip that I needed to go to in Berlin, then I met her there again.
"And then she ended up flying back here and doing a training camp. And then that’s where we kind of, you know, ‘Hey,’ and then yeah, it’s a funny, awkward, cheesy, kind of way of meeting people."
Since they started dating, they mainly talk to each other over the phone or communicate online.
They only have the chance to meet face-to-face when EJ travels to Europe for his athletic competitions or trainings.
In a 2022 article by Spin.ph, Caroline shared that being an athlete herself has helped her cope with the challenges of a long-distance relationship.
"It’s really good to balance. We understand each other. We have the same schedule sometimes. We sacrifice the same thing for our career for being an athlete. It’s good," she said.
"In our free time, mostly in the evening, we just talk. He is very good as a boyfriend. He is like a brother, friend, boyfriend together. He is all together. He is perfect."
She also expressed admiration for EJ's family of athletes, including his father Emerson Obiena, a former pole vaulter, and Jeanette Uy, a former hurdler.
"It’s like it’s a whole track family. I never had that before," Caroline expressed.
"It’s cool because everyone knows what he is doing and understand it. My parents sometimes don’t know.
"When I jump sometimes, they were like, ‘You are so good” and I say ‘Yeah, it's good.’"
The minor hiccups in their relationship include not being able to witness some of EJ's milestones in person, such as when he won the bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022.
"I would love to do it more often, to be honest. But I have my own career as an athlete so when he is competing, I compete too and train," she explained.
"When it’s possible, of course, I would come. I hope in the future, I would go to more competitions.
"Hopefully, Olympics and World Championships."
As fate would have it, Caroline was fortunately able to accompany EJ during his Paris Olympics 2024 journey.
From Instagram stories of her cheering on her beau to photos of their romantic dates in the City of Love, Caroline has been a steadfast source of support for EJ.
Netizens even laud the two for setting #relationshipgoals through their low-key romance.