EJ Obiena sent a message heard across the region: He is still the King of Asian pole vault.
Obiena set a new Asian Games record of 5.91m, reasserting his dominance over the field to clinch the gold medal in the men’s pole vault on Tuesday evening at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
The 30-year-old Obiena also won gold in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, clearing 5.90m—0.25m higher than the silver medalist.
This time, however, the world No. 11 found himself pushed by China’s world No. 20 Li Chenyang.
Li passed on 5.75m before making an attempt at 5.80m to challenge Obiena. After failing twice at that height, Li exhausted his remaining attempts, handing Obiena the gold.
Now training in Athens, Greece, under Polish coach Marcin Szczepanski, Obiena saved his best for last, using his final attempt to clear 5.91m and reset the Asian Games record of 5.90m that he himself established in Hangzhou.
