The Philippines could witness a world-class pole vaulting event this September, spearheaded by none other than the nation’s pole vaulting prodigy EJ Obiena.
Fresh off a challenging fourth-place finish at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the world No. 2 pole vaulter is turning his focus homeward, aiming to elevate the sport in his own backyard.
During a press briefing, the 28-year-old athlete confirmed the much-anticipated competition is slated for September 20 at the Ayala Triangle Gardens.
“I’m gonna be able to bring an international competition. It’s already registered, sanctioned by the World Athletics,” Obiena shared.
Obiena’s ambitions for this event are clear: nothing less than world-class.
To ensure the competition meets the highest standards, Obiena and his team enlisted the expertise of a European consultant.
“The surface that we’re using is the same as what surface here in Paris and Tokyo,” he explained, underscoring his commitment to replicating the elite conditions of the world’s top meets.
“Hopefully, you guys will have a world-class competition in the Philippines.”
The pole vault star isn’t just stopping at infrastructure.
Obiena has extended invitations to some of the biggest names in the sport, hoping to draw them to the Philippines.
“I hope Oleg [Zernikel] will come, I think Emmanouil [Karalis] will come, [Huang] Bokai will come. So, we’ll see,” he hinted, adding, “I will try to get the Olympic finalists and have a really good competition in the Philippines. I think the country deserves that.”
This upcoming event marks a significant milestone in Obiena’s career, as he continues to recover from the disappointment of narrowly missing the Olympic podium.
Despite his best efforts, Obiena fell just short of securing a medal, struggling to clear 5.95 meters in three attempts.
Greece’s Karalis, who would eventually claim the bronze, managed to outlast Obiena via countback, despite also failing to clear 5.95 meters.
Reflecting on his Olympic journey, Obiena revealed that a back injury had plagued his preparation, severely hampering his ability to train consistently.
“A few days before the Olympics, I was in so much pain that I couldn’t even carry my poles,” he disclosed.
Yet, despite the physical setbacks, Obiena maintained that his injury did not directly impact his performance on competition day.
“It affected my consistency, my overall program going to Paris,” he admitted.
“There’s a lot of silver lining with everything that’s happened. I still believe I solidified myself as one of the best pole vaulters in the current time. I guess that’s a silver lining considering everything that’s been happening,” he reflected.
Obiena also expressed gratitude to his team, recognizing their role in helping him maintain his status as a top-tier athlete despite the challenges.
“I need to give my team and everybody involved a pat on their back to be able to stitch me back to where I’m at.”
