EJ Obiena clinches No. 6 rank in international pole vaulting

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Another Filipino pride is slowly making his name in the world of pole vaulting.

Tokyo Olympics-bound EJ Obiena improved his world ranking to no. 6 after a successful international campaign as part of his training ahead of the prestigious sporting event.

The 25-year-old superstar opened 2021 with several gold medals made sweeter by a couple of PH record-breaking scores that increased his bid for an Olympic gold medal dream.

“The Olympics is very near and no one can predict the results, but rest assured that the fighting spirit is very much alive. We will proudly not just represent the Philippines, but for its glory,” Obiena posted in his Facebook account.

From his world no. 10 rank, the prized pole vaulter jumped four places higher and amassed a total of 1343 points.

One major boost was Obiena’s stellar outing during the Wanda Diamond League in Stockholm and a pair of bronze medal finishes in his last three international trips.

Despite the recent career milestone Obiena obtained, the Filipino reiterated that his ultimate goal is to grab that Olympics gold medal.