Here’s breaking good news: Filipino pole vault champion Ernest John “EJ” Obiena has just picked up his second gold of the season, this time at the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun, Poland.
Obiena was in the spotlight as the star of the men’s pole vault show at the Indoor Championships on the night of February 22, 2022 (February 23 AM Philippine Time) as he cleared 5.81 meters on his third attempt to claim the gold, matching his season’s best gold-winning jump at the Orlen Cup in mid-February.
The World Athletics No. 5-ranked men’s pole vault star from the Philippines eclipsed the performances of Olympic champion Thiago Braz of Brazil, Dutch record-holder Menno Vloon, and Belgium’s Ben Broeders who cleared 5.71 meters.
The Filipino athlete has also qualified for two World Athletics meets – the Indoor Championships in Belgrade and the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
The Asian Athletics record-holder earlier went on social media to renew his pledge to keep competing under the Philippines’ flag despite offers from other nations to represent them instead, amidst issues with the local federation which caused a momentary pause in his activities.
The 26-year-old athlete born in Tondo, Manila, and currently based in Italy for training, holds the Philippine national record in pole vaulting which he broke several times in the 2021 season – 5.85m set in Germany, to 5.87m set in Poland, to 5.91m set in Paris, and his historic leap of 5.93 meters in Austria which broke the Asian record of 5.92m held by Kazakhstan’s Igor Potapovich for 23 years – earning him the World Athletics salute as a top 3 best performance of the year.
Obiena has already qualified for two World Athletics events:
- March 18-20, 18th World Indoor Championships – Belgrade, Serbia
- July 15 to 24, 18th World Athletics Championships – Oregon, USA
KEEP CHECKING OUT our site for updates on EJ Obiena’s journey as he continues to win gold for the Philippines!
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