Filipino pole vaulting champion Ernest John Obiena has once again made history, this time by shattering an Asian Athletics Championships record and propelling the Philippines to its best medal performance in nearly four decades. Obiena’s record-breaking feat underscores his status as a World Championships medalist and cements his position as the best pole vaulter in Asia.
Obiena proudly stood on the podium in Thailand, singing the national anthem after receiving his gold medal. He reset the pole vault meet record to a staggering height of 5.91 meters, surpassing the previous 5.71m mark he himself set in 2019 when he first broke a 26-year-old competition record.
Here are the results of the Men’s Pole Vault competition at the AAC:
Filipino pole vault champion EJ Obiena cleared a towering 5.91 meters to reset the Asian Athletics Championships record on Sunday. @ejobienapv dominated the tilt and relegated Saudi Arabia to silver and China to bronze pic.twitter.com/qFxGIJB7Gc
— Angie Quadra Balibay (@AngieQBalibay) July 17, 2023
Team Philippines’ Anchor
Obiena successfully defended his men’s pole vault title in the 25th edition of the regional championships at the National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday, July 16, 2023. His record-breaking performance catapulted the country’s medal tally to two golds, securing a 6th rank among 19 nations. The first gold for the nation came from Robyn Brown in the women’s 400m hurdles final held the day prior.
The last time the Philippines captured double titles in the continental competition was in 1987 when Lydia de Vega dominated the women’s 100m and 200m races. Obiena had earlier pledged help for the late sprint queen’s medical needs before she passed away in August last year.
Obiena led the 23-athlete delegation of Team Philippines to the Asian Athletics Championships, a competition that served as a qualifier for both the Olympics and the World Championships. The World No. 3-ranked Obiena had already clinched the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifying standard of 5.82m in early July at the Bauhaus-Galan Stockholm Diamond League and was expected to participate in the world rank points-rich Diamond League leg at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzow, Poland, but its schedule conflicted with that of the Asian meet. Obiena favored carrying the Filipino flag at the AAC saying his country needed him to be there and that he was lucky to be able to represent the nation. And he went on to display why he was needed while showcasing why he is Asia’s best pole vaulter.
Record-breaking Vault
The 27-year-old athlete from Tondo, Manila, showcased his prowess as Asia’s best pole vaulter. After a field of challengers led by Hussain Assem Al-Hizam of Saudi Arabia and Huang Bokai of China bowed out at 5.61m, Obiena cleared 5.66m in just a single attempt. He then shattered his previous Asian championships mark of 5.71m by clearing 5.80m in one try. But he didn’t stop there. The soaring Filipino continued to establish a new record by leaping past 5.91m after two vaults.
Obiena then attempted to break his Asian record of 6.00m set last June at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway which also catapulted him to the elite Pole Vault 6-Meter Club, by going for 6.02m. Although he didn’t quite make it, his performance was nonetheless remarkable. It also extends the Filipino champion’s medal-winning streak this outdoor season to 8 in as many events.
WATCH EJ Obiena’s vaults at the Asian Athletics Championships here:
Obiena Continues Filipino Pride Journey
Following the Asian Athletics Championships, Obiena will return to Europe to prepare for three more legs of the Diamond League. He aims to reclaim any points he may lose this week. Later this year, Obiena is also set to compete at the World Athletics and the Asian Games, further showcasing his dedication to the sport and his country.
WATCH the Philippines’ national anthem played at the Asian Athletics Championships medal ceremony here and SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to EJ Obiena for his record-breaking gold medal!
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