Ernest John “EJ” Obiena made headlines on Monday night as he won his third Southeast Asian Games men’s pole vault gold medal in record-breaking fashion.
Despite the heavy rainfall inside the Morodok Techo National Stadium that delayed the final for more than an hour, Obiena remained unfazed as he broke his own SEA Games record thrice, jumping over the bar at 5.55 meters, 5.60 meters, and finally at 5.65 meters.
“It’s something that I would make personal, I was done and finished but not good,” Obiena said of his win. “But just as I’ve said, I came here to win.”
Obiena’s victory was a momentous occasion for him and the Philippines, as he secured his third consecutive gold medal in the SEA Games pole vault competition.
Not only that, but he also set a new Games record, surpassing his previous record of 5.46 meters set in Hanoi last year.
The rain, which had been torrential and unseasonal, was a welcome relief from the intense heat that had been plaguing the area for days.
In fact, Obiena even commented on the weather, saying, “What a way to start my outdoor season.”
Despite the unfavorable conditions, Obiena remained focused and determined to give his best performance. His perseverance and hard work paid off as he emerged victorious over his competitors.
Thailand’s Kasinpob Chomchanad and Patsapong Amsamrng clinched the silver and bronze medals respectively with identical efforts of 5.20 meters.
The quartet of Michael Del Prado, Jessel Lumapas, Umajesty Williams, and Robyn Brown added a bronze to the squad’s meager harvest on the first day at the Stadium with a third-place finish in the mixed 4×400 meters relay with a time of 3:23.69 on a close race against Thailand.
Vietnam captured the title by finishing at 3:21.17, almost two seconds ahead of silver medalists Thailand who ended at 3:23.02.
Obiena’s fellow Tokyo Olympian Kristina Knott could not reclaim her women’s 200 meters crown after missing out entirely on a podium finish with a time of 23.79 seconds.
Knott, who also participated in the same event in the 2020 Olympics, had a good start at the first 100-meter bend, but reigning champion Shanti Veronica Pereira zoomed at the straight to pocket her second straight gold and her third overall.
Pereira bagged the title with 22.69, while Vietnam’s Thi Nhi Yen Tran (23.54) and Malaysia’s Zaidatul Husniah Zulfiki (23.30) rounded up the podium in the event of the Games.
