Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena is finally making his dream a reality with the staging of the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge from September 20 to 21, 2025, at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati City.
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Obiena, the current world No. 4 and two-time Olympian, announced the event on July 7 during an online press conference. “It has been my lifelong dream to mount a world-class sporting event in my homeland to showcase Filipino talent and make the nation proud. Now, it’s finally happening. I call on my kababayans to come together and support this once-in-a-lifetime event,” he said.
The tournament is sanctioned by World Athletics under the Continental Tour-Bronze category, with ranking points and a cash prize for the winner. It is supported by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and backed by Atletang Ayala and the MVP Sports Foundation.
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“This is something that I really want to showcase—the ability of the Philippines to host such an event,” said Obiena. “This is the main reason we’re aiming to get as much as of the top athletes as possible.”
Obiena emphasized his hope that this event would spark more international meets in the country. “Hopefully, this is just going to be a spark to get that engine going and maybe get more international competitions in the country.”
The tournament is expected to gather some of the world’s Top 10 pole vaulters, possibly including Mondo Duplantis, who recently raised his world record to 6.28m at a Diamond League meet in Sweden.
Originally set for the same dates in 2024, the event was postponed due to Obiena’s spinal injury. Now fully recovered, Obiena is eager to return to action before a Filipino crowd.
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“This event is almost like a baby of mine that I finally can see through,” said Obiena. “I can’t wait to jump in front of a home crowd. I’ve not done that in such a long time. The last time I’ve done that was in SEA Games and it was far from the heart of the city.”
He added, “I think bringing the sport outside of the track, closer to the people, and definitely, Makati being as busy as it is, it’s an amazing spot to jump.”
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Obiena is currently preparing for the Meeting Herculis EBS in Monaco on July 11, part of the Diamond League circuit.
Obiena is going beyond competition by building pole vaulting opportunities across the entire Philippines. In November–December 2024, he debuted the first of three pole‑vault pits at Marcos Stadium in Laoag City, complete with clinics and coach seminars that introduced 27 new athletes to the sport He has since announced a second facility in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, and pledged to expand the initiative nationwide, aiming to support youth in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Obiena first launched the fundraising campaign “Katapulting an Athlete’s Dream” in October 2023, in partnership with Katapult Digital, to fund these provincial training pits. “Self‑sufficiency has always been central to this project’s concept…we won’t have the next generation of athletes if they can’t even try the sport,” he emphasized, underscoring his mission to ensure access to proper training facilities across the country.
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The Atletang Ayala program supports national athletes through full-salaried employment, flexible work schedules, and access to training and medical facilities. It falls under the Ayala Foundation’s Leadership Development initiative to empower Filipino athletes on the global stage.
“Ayala is proud to partner with EJ for an event that celebrates Filipino excellence and marks the successes of our sporting heroes,” said Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, executive director of Ayala Corporation. “Through this pole vault challenge, we hope to bring Filipinos together in encouraging sporting participation, inspiring future athletes and making us proud as a nation.”
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