EJ Obiena PinoyAthletics Male athlete of the year 6th time.

EJ Obiena: PinoyAthletics Athlete of the Year

EJ Obiena’s meteoric rise in the pole vaulting arena has captivated the world, rightfully earning him the distinguished title of ‘PinoyAthletics Athlete of the Year’. Hailing from Tondo, Manila, this Tokyo Olympian exemplifies the essence of Filipino excellence on the global stage. His astounding achievements this year alone make a compelling case for this accolade. This is the 6th time Obiena has won the MVP accoldade after 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

At the 19th Asian Games, Obiena made history by securing the Philippines’ maiden gold in men’s pole vault, setting a new Asian Games record in the process. This incredible feat came after a resounding success at the World Championships, where he clinched a silver medal, asserting his dominance in the sport. The elite six-meter club globally now boasts of having him as its only Asian member.

But Obiena’s journey of accolades doesn’t end here. His Olympic qualification was a significant milestone, showcasing his readiness to compete at the highest level of the sport. Coupled with his gold medals at the SEA Games and the Asian Championships, EJ Obiena’s consistency, determination, and unparalleled skill make him a shining star in athletics and a deserving recipient of the ‘PinoyAthletics Athlete of the Year’ title.

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EJ Obiena Secures Historic Gold in Men’s Pole Vault at 19th Asian Games

World No. 2 and celebrated pole vaulter, EJ Obiena, sealed a momentous season by clinching the Philippines’ first-ever gold medal at the 19th Asian Games held at the bustling Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on September 30th.

At 27, this Tokyo Olympian from Tondo, Manila, showcased an impeccable performance by surpassing the previous Asian Games record of 5.70 meters set by Japan’s Seito Yamamoto in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. He set a new milestone by clearing a height of 5.75 meters. Surpassing his own feat, Obiena then soared to 5.9 meters in a solitary attempt, drawing thunderous applause from an 80,000-strong crowd, including fervent Filipino fans and notable figures like the Philippine Olympic Committee president, Rep. Bambol Tolentino, and athletics chief Terry Capistrano.

Sharing his euphoria, Obiena took to Facebook stating, “Experiencing the synchronized applause of 80,000 attendees in the mesmerizing Hangzhou Stadium was unforgettable.” He expressed immense pride in delivering the Philippines’ first gold in this edition of the Asian Games and setting a new championship record. The season, he says, concludes “with a smile,” and extends gratitude to his team for their unwavering support through four major championships this year.

Obiena, who is not just a World Championship silver medalist but also the only Asian member of the global elite six-meter club, firmly established his dominance over competitors like Bokai Huang of China and Hussain Asim Al Hizam from Saudi Arabia. Both contenders achieved a tie with heights of 5.65 meters.

Post-event, Obiena stressed the impGortance of bringing glory back to his country and acknowledged the immense expectations, saying, “Pressure is a privilege.”

This victory is the first for the Philippines in Asian Games athletics since Lydia de Vega‘s win in women’s 100m in 1986.

In a tribute to his coach Vitaliy Petrov’s birthday, the pole vaulter audaciously aimed to surpass his own Asian record by targeting 6.02 meters. Despite the valiant effort, the height remained unconquered this time. He extended gratitude to coach Petrov and his team, acknowledging the remarkable journey from the SEA Games in May to this triumphant moment in September.

EJ Obiena wins Berlin ISTAF “Not bad! at all for a Tall Skinny Guy!”

Just three days after a forgetabble Diamond League Zurich leg performance, Filipino pole vaulting sensation, Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, showcased a remarkable comeback. He clinched the gold medal at the Istaf Berlin event held at the iconic Olympiastadion in Germany.

Achieving a height of 5.92 meters on his third try, Obiena reclaimed his spot on the podium, a position he missed out on in Zurich on September 1. This Zurich event marked the end of Obiena’s impressive streak of 11 consecutive podium finishes for the season.

Starting strong at the Istaf Berlin competition, Obiena effortlessly cleared 5.52 m. He then surpassed 5.72 m in two attempts and achieved 5.82 m in a single try. However, the 5.92-meter mark posed a challenge, which he overcame in his third and decisive attempt.

While competitors like Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen and USA’s KC Lightfoot couldn’t clear the same height, it was Obiena who emerged victorious, bagging the gold. Guttormsen secured silver with a 5.82 m jump, edging out Lightfoot based on fewer attempts. Both athletes had a best of 5.82 m, but Guttormsen achieved it in one go, while Lightfoot took two tries.

Eager to break his own record, the Paris Olympics-aspirant Obiena made an attempt at 6.01 meters but couldn’t surpass his personal best and Asian record of 6.0 meters.

Notably, the reigning World and Olympic champion, Armand Duplantis from Sweden, was absent from the Istaf Berlin event.

EJ Obiena takes Silver at the worlds

EJ Obiena, the Filipino Olympian pole vaulter, clinched a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest this Saturday. Obiena’s remarkable achievement came after he cleared the six-meter mark in just two attempts, matching his personal best and the Asian record he initially set in June at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway.

While Obiena made valiant efforts to clear 6.05 and 6.10 meters, he was unable to complete these attempts. Nonetheless, his silver medal-winning performance at 6.00 meters has been a significant milestone in his career and a proud moment for the Philippines.

The competition was intense, with only four other vaulters from the 12-strong field clearing the 5.85-meter mark. Among them were France’s Thibaut Collet, Australia’s Kurtis Marschall, and American Christopher Nilsen. Obiena, along with Collet and Nilsen, also successfully cleared 5.90 meters, a height that gold medalist Armand Duplantis chose not to compete at.

As the bar was raised to the challenging 6.00-meter mark, Obiena soared over it on his second try, solidifying his place in the record books with an Asian record. The feat proved to be a hurdle too high for other competitors like Collet, Marschall, and Nilsen, who were unable to clear the height.

Obiena then aimed for 6.05 meters but failed in his first attempt. Opting for a more ambitious leap, he had the bar set at 6.10 meters. Although he couldn’t clear this height, his efforts were more than enough to secure the silver medal.

Sweden’s Armand Duplantis ultimately took the gold with a 6.10-meter vault, while the bronze was shared between Marschall and Nilsen, both clearing 5.95 meters. Despite the intense competition, Obiena’s silver medal performance stood out, marking a significant achievement for both him and his country.

EJ Obiena Breaks Own Asian Championship Record

Ernest Obiena takes the second gold for the Philippines and leaps 5.91 m, setting a new Asian Championship Record. He broke his own Championship record of 5.71m with 5.80m then raised the bar to 5.91m then had failed attempts at 6.02m. The EJ gold comes as the second gold after Robyn Brown’s surprise gold in the 400 Hurdles. Which rounds out the last day of the five-day Asian Championships in Bangkok. EJ and Brown should be the shoo-ins for the World Championship selections.

EJ Obiena Becomes First Filipino To Qualify For Paris 2024

Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena is going to Paris after meeting the Olympic standard.
Filipino sports enthusiasts, rejoice! EJ Obiena is the first Filipino Olympian.

The World No. 3 pole vaulter became the first Filipino to qualify for the Paris Olympics after clearing 5.82 meters in the Stockholm Diamond League-Bauhaus Galan in Sweden on Monday morning, July 3 (Philippine time).

EJ Obiena will get the chance to improve his 11th-place finish in Tokyo and compete for his dream of winning an Olympic medal for the Philippines in Paris.

EJ was not the only Stockholm Olympic qualifier. By clearing 5.82 meters, Olympic champion Armand Duplantis qualified for the Summer Games. He also won the Swedish competition gold by jumping 6.05 meters.

Pål Haugen Lillefosse from Norway and Ben Broeders from Belgium are additional Diamond League-Bauhaus Galan Olympic qualifiers.

EJ Obiena qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the first Filipino. Who’s next?

Obiena joins pole vault’s six-metre club in Bergen

Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines became the latest pole vaulter to surpass 6.00m on his first attempt at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Bryggen, Norway, on Saturday (10).

Last year in Oregon, the 27-year-old won bronze with an Asian record of 5.94m.

He added six centimetres to that area record in Bergen by vaulting 5.94m and 6.00m on his first try.

Obiena won when both he and KC Lightfoot failed their three efforts at 6.06m.

Obiena needed two attempts to clear the 5.53m starting height. He then cleared 5.76m and 5.82m.

After failing at 5.88m, he tried 5.94m and equalled his PB. He then tried 6.00m and cleared.

Lightfoot, who set the North American record at 6.07m in Nashville earlier this month, needed two attempts at 6.00m and ended second on countback.

USA’s two-time global gold medalist and previous North American record-holder Sam Kendricks placed third on 5.88m, while Poland’s multiple world medalist Piotr Lisek placed fourth on 5.76m.

EJ Obiena Claims 3rd SEA Games Title (May 17, 2023)