Filipino punches 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games ticket in Pole Vault

By: Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

After clinching the gold medal in the 2019 Salto Con L’asta in Piazza Chiari, Filipino Pole Vaulter Ernest John Obiena qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Aside from the qualification, Obiena also passed the Olympic gold standard of 5.80 meters with his 5.81-meter performance in Italy, chalking up a huge amount of points in his world ranking.

With his achievement, the points added to his current tally helped him advance to the tenth place ranking, the first Filipino to be in the top 10 of the Men’s Pole Vault of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

With a score of 1,277, Obiena is the highest-ranked Asian pole vaulter.

Obiena has held the tenth place ranking for two weeks now and will be expected to rank higher due to the remaining tournaments he has yet to join.