Obiena, 3 others plunge into action

The Philippines’ four-man squad will finally showcase its wares in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland on Saturday.

Led by Olympians EJ Obiena and John Cabang, the Filipino tracksters aim to take home a medal in the biggest indoor competition in the world.

Completing the squad are Filipino-American sprinters Jessica Lawrence and Zion Corrales Nelson, who will join the women’s 60m event.

Cabang will be the first up for the Filipinos as he competes in the men’s 60m hurdles at 5:20 p.m. (Manila time) while Lawrence and Corrales will compete at 6:05 p.m.

Meanwhile, Obiena will be vying in the men’s pole vault final at 1:25 a.m. as he takes on the likes of world champion Armand Duplantis of Sweden and Emmanouil Karalis of Greece.

The 30-year-old Obiena made the cut after tallying his season-best 5.78m at the ISTAF Indoor in Berlin last 7 March in Germany.

He has yet to clinch a medal in the World Indoor Championships as his best finish so far was at ninth place after clearing 5.65m. in 2023.