Obiena set for Asian Games coronation

HANGZHOU, China — EJ Obiena is set to formally become an Asian champion and clinch the country's first gold medal when he plunges into action in the men's pole vault event of the 19th Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Centre on Saturday here.

The 27-year-old Obiena will be coming in as the overwhelming favorite in the 7:05 p.m. affair for being the second-best pole vaulter in the world who holds the Asian record of 6.0 meters.

Obiena made it clear that he has only one mission.

"My aim is to win in Hangzhou. That's the goal," said Obiena, who regained the world No. 2 ranking behind Swedish powerhouse Armand "Mondo" Duplantis following a strong performance in the 2023 Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon almost two weeks ago.

He surpassed the six-meter barrier twice; first in Hungary in August and, second, in Norway in June.

He, however, doesn't own the Asian Games record as it still belongs to Seito Yamamoto of Japan, who soared to 5.70 meters during the Jakarta edition of the Asian Games in 2018. In that tournament, Obiena was just fresh from a knee injury, prompting him to struggle with a 5.45-meter performance for seventh place.

Four years later, Obiena will be coming in as one of the world's best vaulter and he is tipped to exact revenge on the 31-year-old Yamamoto, whose best showing recently was 5.60 meters that he set in the L'Anneau-Halle d'athlétisme de Metz in France last February.

Aside from Yamamoto, three other Chinese vaulters will try to stop what could be Obiena's coronation as the best vaulter in Asia.

"This is the opportunity for us Filipino athletes to show what we've got," said Obiena, who will also have a chance to give the country its first gold medal in the quadrennial meet here and end its three-decade medal drought in the Asian Games.

The last time the country won an Asian Games medal in athletics was when Elma Muros-Posadas claimed the silver medal in the women's long jump event of the Hiroshima Asian Games in 1994.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino is pinning his hopes on Obiena, who served as the flagbearer of Team Philippines during the Parade of Nations in the opening ceremony last week.

"With good vibes, it's sure for gold," Tolentino said.

"His competitions this year have prepared him for the Asian Games, especially his 6.0-meter performance which he cleared twice. Knowing EJ, and because he has yet to win an Asian Games gold medal, I'm sure he will go for it."

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Terry Capistrano said Obiena is still nursing jet lag as he came from a grueling campaign in Europe before flying to the United States and now in Asia.

"EJ is recovering from jet lag after arriving a few days ago from a competition in Oregon. But he is a veteran. He will do what he has to do come tomorrow night's finals in the pole vault," Capistrano said.