Ernest John Obiena pole-vaulted to his new personal best that eclipsed his own national record in an emotionally charged effort he dedicated for his coach’s home country that is currently under attack by Russia.
Obiena submitted a season-best 5.91 meters at the Perche Elite Tour in France on Sunday night (Philippine time) to top his own national record of 5.86 he himself set last year.
After his record-setting jump, Obiena pointed to his left arm bearing the yellow-blue baller signifying the colors of Ukraine, the country of origin of his long-time mentor Vitaly Petrov.
Petrov has been Obiena’s pole vault coach for more than seven years and is largely credited for his vast improvement of becoming the best in Asia.
Petrov has also mentored former pole vault world champion and Olympic medalists Sergey Bubka, Yelena Isinbayeva, and Giuseppe Gibilisco.
Obiena made a meaningful post on his Facebook page, expressing his support for Ukraine.
“My heart and thoughts are with you (Ukraine). Silence never helped the oppressed and the abused.”
He capped his post with reassuring words: “Stay strong Ukraine.”
Obiena himself is beset with adversity with his ongoing rift with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association that began with his failure submission of liquidation reports of the salaries of Petrov.
In a way, Obiena is returning the favor to Petrov, who stood by him up to the time he was released from the national team.
“I have my share of adversity as everyone knows. But so does everyone else. The name of the game is to keep showing up and keep trying. As to my current adversity, I leave it with God and my country,” Obiena said in his previous post.
In a gesture short of offering a peace pipe, Obiena has reportedly written his mother federation Patafa to endorse his participation in the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games in May, World Athletics in July in Oregon, USA, and the Asian Games in China in September.
Obiena’s effort in France was good only for silver behind American Christopher Nilsen’s own personal best of 6.05 meter to net the gold.
Thiago Braz of Brazil equaled Obiena’s 5.91, but he settled for the bronze as he took three attempts to make it while the Filipino needed just one attempt in clearing the bar.
Nevertheless, Obiena was having an amazing tour in Europe as he previously ruled the Orlen Copernicus Cup and the Orlen Cup one after another on similar 5.81m efforts.