The Philippines’ champion pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena has moved into the top 5 in the world rankings following his silver-medal finish in the Paris Diamond League and his Tokyo Olympics debut.
Obiena, Asia’s top pole vaulter, garnered 1,361 points from international tournaments to leap up one spot from 6th to rank 5th in the World Athletics Men’s Pole Vault Rankings released on August 31, 2021.
The Filipino Olympian had set a new Philippine record when he cleared 5.91 meters in the men’s pole vault event at the Meeting de Paris en route to winning the silver medal.
EJ Obiena was previously ranked No. 6 in the world before his debut and a finals appearance in the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The 25-year-old Filipino athlete shared the news of his improvement in the world rankings and thanked his fans for the support.
“World no. 5. An ordinary man guided by God’s extraordinary grace. I may not meet the expectation of all, but I keep trying,” EJ Obiena wrote on his Facebook account.
“Thank you for all the prayers and support. The journey continues and I am proud to carry the nation with me. Getting there.”
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to the Philippines’ champion pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, now ranked fifth in the world following his silver-medal finish in the Paris Diamond League.
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