Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, currently holding the world no. 2 spot in pole vaulting for the past eight months, looks forward to jumping higher with the arrival of new equipment.
The 27-year-old Obiena expressed his optimism after using borrowed poles to log a seventh-place finish, clearing 5.70 meters at the Diamond League’s Bauhaus-Galan leg in Stockholm on Monday. Despite this, he narrowly missed clearing 5.80 meters in three attempts.
“Hope to be back here again and jump a little bit higher,” Obiena remarked after his competition in Stockholm, Sweden.
Obiena’s new gear is expected to arrive soon, thanks to the efforts of Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Terry Capistrano. This follows the unfortunate breakage of two poles during recent competitions and training sessions.
Supporters of Obiena are ensuring the safe delivery of his new poles to Formia, Italy, where he is currently based. Retired pole vaulter Ed Lasquete and Alyana Nicolas will transport the equipment by car to avoid the logistical issues faced during air travel.
Obiena is inching closer to world no. 1 Armand Duplantis in the rankings. Obiena now has 1,443 points, trailing Duplantis who has held the top spot for the last four years with 1,589 points.
In the same Stockholm event, Duplantis took the gold medal by clearing 6.0 meters. Sam Kendricks of the United States took silver with a 5.90-meter jump, while his teammate KC Lightfoot claimed bronze with a 5.80-meter clearance.
