EJ Obiena defends Asiad pole vault crown, sets new record at 5.91 meters
EJ Obiena has once again delivered a golden performance for the Philippines after successfully defending his Asian Games pole vault crown, bringing the country's total medal tally to 18.
Despite the rain, the Filipino pole vault ace successfully cleared 5.91 meters on his final attempt, setting a new record in his bid for back-to-back gold in the men’s pole vault final on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Stadium.
Obiena took the lead after clearing 5.75 meters, while China’s Yao Jie and Li Chenyang followed in second and third place, respectively, after both cleared 5.70 meters.
Li then recorded three failed attempts at 5.75 meters, while Obiena missed twice at 5.80 meters before successfully clearing 5.91 meters.
Yao finished second, while Li settled for third.
As of Feb. 3, Obiena is ranked No. 11 in the world in men’s pole vault according to the World Athletics Rankings. He holds the Asian record with a clearance of 6.00 meters at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, where he won the silver medal.
Obiena is also a two-time defending champion and record holder at the Asian Athletics Championships, with a mark of 5.91 meters. He is likewise a three-time defending champion and record holder at the SEA Games, with a record clearance of 5.65 meters.