EJ Obiena named Athlete of the Year by PSA
EJ Obiena has been recognized as the Athlete of the Year by the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association.
“The credentials of the 28-year-old Tondo-born pole vaulter in a 12-month span was indeed impressive, highlighting it by winning golds in three major international tournaments in record-breaking fashion,” the publication wrote on their Facebook post on Monday, Jan. 1.
In June 2023, Obiena made a historic feat by clearing the six-meter barrier in the Sparebanken Vest Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway, becoming the first Filipino and the only one in Asia to join the elite six-meter club.
The following month, he secured the second top spot in the world’s men's pole vault and became qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
According to the publication, Obiena is also the first track athlete to be given the honor following long jumper Marestella Torres in 2009.
They added that other athletes that were considered for the award were the men’s basketball team Gilas Pilipinas, and jiu-jitsu athletes Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez who bagged gold medals in the 19th Asian Games.
EJ recently won a gold medal at the 19th Asian Games. He will continue training for the upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024.
He currently holds the second spot in the world in the men's pole vault, and 26th spot in men’s overall ranking, per the World Athletics Organization.
In previous years, Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, golfer Yuka Saso, and the Team Philippines at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games were named Athlete of the Year in 2021-2022, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
