Obiena flexes winning form, tops Poland pole vault event
EJ Obiena. | Inquirer Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Ernest John “EJ” Obiena scored his biggest win of the year after dominating the Orlen Cup Lodz men’s pole vault event on Friday, February 11, (February 12, Saturday, Manila Time) in Poland.
The 26-year-old Obiena, the embattled pole vault star flexed his winning form by clearing 5.81 meters, which he failed to leap during the ISTAF Indoor in Germany where he finished fourth overall.
It also served as a redemption win for Obiena who finished eighth in the Beijer Stavhoppsgala in Uppsala, Sweden on February 10.
Obiena cleared the 5.81 meters in just a single attempt while eventual second and third placers Thiago Braz and Piotr Lisek failed three times and both settled for 5.71M.
Matvey Volkov of Belarus placed fourth with 5.61m while Pawel Wojciechowski of Poland settled for fifth place with 5.61m as well. China’s Bokai Huang placed sixth with 5.51m and another Polish Robert Sobera placed seventh with 5.41m.
The Filipino pole vaulter, who recently had knee surgery last month tried to break the Asian record of 5.93m which he recorded in 2021. He tried to leap the 5.95m, but faltered in his attempt.
Nevertheless, the world No. 5 pole vaulter is looking very great in his series of campaigns abroad despite not receiving financial help from his mother association, the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA).
While campaigning abroad, Obiena showed interest in mending ties with the NSA through the mediation initiated by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to put an end to their issues.
“EJ is a true athlete and his performance in Poland is testament to his love, dedication and passion for his sport—despite the issues he’s been going through outside of the playing field,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino in a statement.
“EJ displayed pure focus in winning the gold medal, his first for the season,” said Tolentino.
The Filipino pole vaulter’s next competitions are the Hauts-de-France on February 17 and he flies back to Poland for the Orlen Copernicus Cup on February 22.
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