Athletics body says Obiena not yet done after record jump

MANILA, Philippines – A day after EJ Obiena become the first Asian to hit the 6-meter mark in the men’s pole vault competition, the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) expects the pole vaulter to achieve more record feats in upcoming overseas competitions.

The 27-year-old Asian record holder registered a historic record-breaking 6m jump to rule the Bergen Jump Challenge over the weekend in Bruggen, Norway, which also boosted his campaign to qualify for the Paris Olympics next year.

“While we are all elated with EJ Obiena’s 6m performance in Norway the other day, we, the PATAFA, believe that he can do better in the coming months and beyond, knowing what he’s capable of as a world-class athlete,” said PATAFA president Terry Capistrano. 

The athletics body believes Obiena’s latest achievement is just a prelude to better things to come in tournaments such as the Asian Athletics Championships from July 12-16 in Pattaya, Thailand, and the World Athletics Championships from August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary. 

Obiena is also targeting a gold medal in the 20th Asian Games from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China. 

Those three tournaments are Paris Olympic qualifying events. 

“We know EJ is capable of doing better because of his continuous training and competing abroad under veteran coach Vitaly Petrov plus his perseverance,” Capistrano added.

Capistrano said the grind should continue for three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, whom he stressed is “certainly an extremely gifted athlete.”

“There is still a lot of work to be done in order for him to get to where he should be. He has been working very hard and smart to get to that 6-meter,” Capistrano continued.

Obiena becomes the 28th member of the exclusive men’s pole vault 6-meter club — joining the likes of World No. 1 and record holder Armand Duplantis (Sweden) followed by Renaud Lavillenie (France) and the legendary Sergey Bubka (Ukraine), KC Lightfoot (United States), Steve Hooker (Australia), Chris Nilsen (US), Thiago Braz de Silva (Brazil), Brad Walker (US), Paul Burgess (Australia), Toby Stevenson (USA), Jeff Hartwig (US), Timothy Mack (US), Sam Kendricks (US), Maksim Tarasov (Russia), Dmitri Markov (Belarus), Okkert Brits (South Africa), Radion Gataullin (Russia), Yevgeny Lukyanenko (Russia), Igor Trandenkov (Russia), Piotr Lisek (Poland), Bjorn Otto (Germany), Tim Lobinger (German), Danny Ecker (Germany), Jean Galfione (France), Shawnacy Barber (Canada), Timothy Morgunov (ANA) and Sondre Guttormsen (Norway). 

Obiena reset his previous 5.94-meter personal best in the last Eugene, Oregon World Athletics Championships last year where he settled for a bronze medal.

Meanwhile, the PATAFA chief also thanked the Philippine Sports Commission headed by Chairman Dicky Bachmann and the Philippine Olympic Committee headed by President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino for their unconditional support.