EJ Obiena
Cài Huá Qiáng |
Men's athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Representing Philippines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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World Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023 Budapest | Pole vault
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2022 Eugene | Pole vault
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Asian Games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 Hangzhou | Pole vault | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asian Athletics Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2019 Doha | Pole vault | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023 Bangkok | Pole vault | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017 Bhubaneswar | Pole vault | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Universiade
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2019 Naples | Pole vault | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southeast Asian Games
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2019 Philippines |
Pole vault
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2021 Vietnam |
Pole vault
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2023 Cambodia |
Pole vault
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2015 Singapore |
Pole vault |
Ernest John "EJ" Uy Obiena,
Before breaking the
Obiena is the first Filipino to receive a scholarship from the
Early life and education
Obiena was born to track and field athletes
Pole vault career
Early years
Obiena first took up pole vaulting when he was eight years old, but initially focused on hurdles. His father, Emerson Obiena served as his coach until he was 18 years old.[9] Obiena competed in the 100 and 400 metre hurdles events for his high school, Chiang Kai Shek College.[2] Unable to qualify for regional meets, he decided to return to pole vaulting when he was in his last years in high school, in a bid to secure a college scholarship.[9]
In college, Obiena attended the University of Santo Tomas, where he competed for them at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).[2]
National team
In early 2014, Obiena was able to meet Ukrainian pole vaulter
He later broke his own record several times in 2014 alone (5.05, 5.05, 5.15, 5.20, 5.21). By the time Obiena became ineligible for the national junior record, the record was 5.21 which Obiena set himself.[citation needed]
In the 2015 Southeast Asian Games, Obiena won a silver medal with a leap of 5.25 metres, then his personal record.[11]
Obiena won a gold medal in the 2016 Philippine National Games Finals in
Obiena won gold in the men's pole vault event at the 2019 Summer Universiade[12] setting a new national record of 5.76 metres. He secured a berth in the 2020 Summer Olympics by surpassing the qualifying standard by making a 5.81 metres height in a tournament in Chiara, Italy on September 3, 2019. The height was also a national record.[13]
At the 2019 World Athletics Championships he failed to advance to the final round by finishing 15th out of 35 entrants through his 5.6 metres finish.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the postponement of the Olympics and travel restrictions imposed by countries in response to the health crisis posed logistical issues to Obiena's preparations. For most of 2020, Obiena spent his time training in Formia, Italy, and was unable to go back to the Philippines during the Christmas season. He trained under American conditioning coach James Michael Lafferty and Nutritionist Carol Lafferty; along with Brazilian Thiago Braz as his training partner.[14] Competing in 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Obiena managed to advance to the final of the pole vault competition but failed to make the podium.[15]
Obiena set a then
In June 2023, Obiena cleared 6 metres for the first time at the Sparebanken Vest Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway also resetting the Asian record.[18] He was able to accomplish said feat due to shifting to a 20-step technique from the previous 18-steps approach.[19]
Coaches
Obiena has trained under coach
Dispute with PATAFA
In November 2021, the
After an investigation by its Ethics Committee, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) declared PATAFA's president Philip Juico persona non grata for his role in the harassment of Obiena. The investigation of the POC's ethics committee concluded that Juico had harassed the athlete by making "malicious public accusations".[27][28]
On March 30, 2022, the Philippine Sports Commission announced that both parties reached an agreement during a mediation process. Obiena will be endorsed by PATAFA in any future competitions.[29]
Competition record
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes | |
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Representing the Philippines | |||||
2013 | Southeast Asian Games
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Naypyidaw, Myanmar
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4th | 4.90 m | |
2015 | Southeast Asian Games
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Singapore | 2nd | 5.25 m | |
2016 | Asian Indoor Championships | Doha, Qatar
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4th | 5.40 m | |
2017 | Asian Championships | Bhubaneswar, India
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3rd | 5.50 m | |
2018 | Asian Games | Jakarta, Indonesia
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7th | 5.30 m | |
2019 | Asian Championships | Doha, Qatar
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1st | 5.71 m | |
Southeast Asian Games
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Philippines | 5.45 m | |||
Universiade | Naples, Italy
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5.76 m | |||
World Championships | Doha, Qatar
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15th (q) | 5.60 m | ||
2020 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan
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11th | 5.70 m | |
2022 | Southeast Asian Games
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Vietnam | 1st | 5.46 m | |
World Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 3rd | 5.94 m
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2023 | Southeast Asian Games
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Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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1st | 5.65 m | |
Asian Championships | Bangkok, Thailand
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1st | 5.91 m | ||
World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 2nd | 6.00 m
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Asian Games | Hangzhou, China | 1st | 5.90 m | ||
2024 | World Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom
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9th | 5.65 m |
Awards
See also
- List of Asian Athletics Championships records
- List of Filipino records in athletics
References
- ^ a b c "Obiena breaks PH's 100-year gold-medal drought in Asian pole vault". The Manila Times. May 20, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Reyes, Marc Anthony (February 12, 2017). "Height of brilliance". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "Ernest John OBIENA | Profile | World Athletics".
- ^ Giongco, Nick (February 23, 2016). "Obiena places 4th, fails Olympic bid". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ^ "Men's Pole Vault 2023". World Athletics Organization. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ Mantaring, Jelo Ritzhie (July 23, 2023). "EJ Obiena vaults to number 2 in world rankings". CNN Philippines. CNN. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ "78th Singapore Open Championships 2016 Results". southeastasiansports.blogspot.de. April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ "Before each leap of faith, Tokyo 2020-bound EJ Obiena is calm under pressure". ABS-CBN News.
- ^ a b c "How Sergey Bubka set EJ Obiena on pole vaulter's Olympic dream". GMA News. July 3, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ a b Villar, Joey (July 21, 2014). "Obiena breaks 22-year-old PHL pole vault record". The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
- ^ Terrado, Reuben (July 13, 2019). "EJ Obiena captures gold medal in Summer Universiade in Italy". Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ Malanum, Jean (September 4, 2019). "Pinoy pole vaulter Obiena earns 2020 Tokyo Olympics slot". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Pedralvez, Manolo (January 24, 2021). "Tokyo Olympics: Don't be surprised if vaulter Obiena wins medal, says trainer". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ Lozada, Bong (August 3, 2021). "EJ Obiena ends Olympic bid, crashes out of men's pole vault final". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ Dioquino, Delfin (September 12, 2021). "EJ Obiena breaks Asian record, bags gold in Austria". Rappler. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
- ^ Dioquino, Delfin (July 25, 2022). "EJ Obiena resets Asian record to claim historic bronze in World Athletics Championships". rappler.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
- ^ Valderrama, Aeron Paul (June 10, 2023). "EJ Obiena shatters six-meter barrier, secures gold at Bergen Jump Challenge". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ Maningat, Raul (June 12, 2023). "EJ Obiena reveals technique that paved way for record-breaking 6-meter jump". One Sport. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "EJ mom confident son has mental battle handled". inquirer.net. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Patafa orders Obiena to return financial assistance". Philippine Daily Inquirer. November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ Yumol, David Tristan (November 21, 2021). "EJ Obiena denies not paying Ukrainian coach, threatens to 'immediately' retire". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ Torregoza, Hannah (November 24, 2021). "Senators want PSC's budget for Patafa removed if 'harassment' vs EJ Obiena persists". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ "EJ Obiena's patron hits at 'broken system' in PATAFA row". Rappler. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
- ^ "Obiena-Patafa row deeply concerning". The Manila Times. December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
- ^ "The High Road". The Philippine Star. December 18, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
- ^ "POC declares Juico as persona non grata". The Manila Times. December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "POC declares Patafa chief Philip Juico persona non grata after Obiena rift". The Manila Times. December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ Terrado, Reuben (March 30, 2022). "EJ Obiena, Patafa reach agreement during PSC mediation". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ "EJ Obiena gets nod as 2023 PSA Athlete of the Year". Spin.ph. January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
External links
- Ernest John Obiena at World Athletics
- Ernest John Obiena at Olympedia