Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena once again proved his skills in the international arena after winning the gold medal and setting a new record at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Italy.
Obiena, who achieved multiple feats at the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships held in Qatar, competed on July 12 and won the top spot in the Napoli Summer Universiade Pole Vault Athletics.
The 23-year old Pinoy athlete now holds the World University Champion title after he jumped 5.76 meters – the new Philippines national record, new Southeast Asia record, and new personal best for Obiena who exceeded his own record of 5.71 meters in Doha.
Gold medalist Obiena defeated Torben Blech of Germany in a countback, and Belgium’s Ben Joren Broeders with 5.51 meters. Blech and Broeders ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Ernest John Obiena’s gold is the Philippines’ second in Summer Universiade history after Wesley So bagged the first one in chess in 2013. The chess grand champion recently placed Top 2 at the Croatia leg of the 2019 Grand Chess Tour.
The country’s pole vault gold medalist is set to compete in the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games to be held in Clark City, Pampanga.
Obiena’s recent Napoli Summer Universiade win also earns him points for his qualification bid for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan.
WATCH the video of the winning performance and SEND congratulations to Ernest John Obiena, Filipino pole vaulter flying high at the Summer Universiade in Italy!
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