ERNEST John Obiena’s excellence in pole vaulting owes much to the guidance of his world-class mentor Vitaliy Petrov.
The Filipino Asian champion expressed profound gratitude and admiration for his Ukrainian coach, who was recently honored with the Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Obiena acknowledged that Petrov’s contributions go far beyond athletic training, crediting him for his personal growth as well.“I would never just characterize Vitaly Petrov as a great pole vault coach. No! That would be selling the man short. He is far beyond this. He is a great coach of human beings,” Obiena wrote in a heartfelt social media post.
“He uses pole vaulting as a means to improve people’s lives—including mine. Yes, he has made me a better vaulter. But more importantly, he has made me a better human being and given me a better shot at life. That, to me, is the ultimate measure of greatness.”
Obiena accompanied Petrov at the award ceremony held at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, which was attended by IOC President Thomas Bach. Joining Petrov as an awardee was diving coach Jane Figueiredo.
“These awards celebrate two coaches who have gone above and beyond in assisting their athletes, both on the sporting and personal sides, supporting them through their Olympic journeys,” Bach said in his statement.
“Jane Figueiredo and Vitaly Petrov have shown unwavering dedication, inspiring countless athletes to reach their full potential. Their passion for coaching has not only produced champions but has also left a lasting legacy in their respective sports.”
Petrov’s storied coaching career includes guiding legendary pole vaulters such as Sergey Bubka, Yelena Isinbayeva, and Giuseppe Gibilisco—all world champions, with Bubka and Isinbayeva also claiming Olympic gold and setting world records.
Since beginning his work with Petrov in 2014, Obiena has steadily ascended to the sport’s elite, becoming an Asian champion and joining the exclusive six-meter club—an achievement shared by two of Petrov’s other protégés, Brazilian Thiago Braz and Bubka.
At 27, Obiena continues to aim for even greater heights under Petrov’s guidance, as he carves out his legacy in a field now dominated by Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis, the current world record holder and pole vaulting’s newest icon.
