EJ Obiena defended his Asian Games pole vault title in emphatic fashion on Tuesday, clearing 5.91 metres to set a new competition record at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya and handing the Philippines its third gold medal of the Games.
The 30-year-old world No. 11 entered the men's pole vault as the defending champion but with inconsistent performances over the past three years raising questions about whether he could rediscover his best form. He answered emphatically, surpassing his previous Games mark of 5.90 metres set in Hangzhou in 2023.
The drama came late. After missing his first two attempts at 5.80 metres, Obiena looked poised to settle at 5.75 metres — already enough to secure gold with his rivals finished. Instead, with the title in hand, he took a leap of faith at 5.91 metres, the highest mark of his season and a height he had never cleared in Asian Games competition.
"I'm cramping up, but I think I had a good jump in me. I said I'd rather take that risk and try to jump [5.91 metres]," Obiena said. When he landed after clearing the bar, he screamed for nearly 15 seconds as Filipino fans inside the stadium erupted.
The 5.91-metre clearance matched his season best, set at the Golden Sand, Promenada Gwiazd meet in Miedzyzdroje, Poland, in August. His personal best remains 6.00 metres, set in 2023.
The victory gave the Philippines its third gold of the Asian Games, following Carlos Yulo's victories in the men's floor exercise and vault.
China's Yao Jie took silver and 23-year-old compatriot Li Chenyang bronze, with both clearing 5.70 metres — the 35-year-old Yao getting the upper hand on the countback. Thailand's Amsaramng Patsapong finished fourth with a season-best 5.60 metres, while Qatar's Seifeldin Abdelsalam placed fifth with 5.50 metres.
"I'm satisfied," Obiena said afterwards. Asked whether the prime EJ Obiena was finally back, the veteran offered a different answer: "No, I'm better. That's for sure. I'm getting smarter, like I'm kind of a veteran. I feel actually pretty good."
He still holds his 2023 Asian Games performance in higher regard: "The first one is definitely special. More special than this. The emotional high of a first is definitely something. But this one is, I feel like it's a bit of a reborn, a little bit of a different me."
Sources: ESPN
The 30-year-old world No. 11 entered the men's pole vault as the defending champion but with inconsistent performances over the past three years raising questions about whether he could rediscover his best form. He answered emphatically, surpassing his previous Games mark of 5.90 metres set in Hangzhou in 2023.
The drama came late. After missing his first two attempts at 5.80 metres, Obiena looked poised to settle at 5.75 metres — already enough to secure gold with his rivals finished. Instead, with the title in hand, he took a leap of faith at 5.91 metres, the highest mark of his season and a height he had never cleared in Asian Games competition.
"I'm cramping up, but I think I had a good jump in me. I said I'd rather take that risk and try to jump [5.91 metres]," Obiena said. When he landed after clearing the bar, he screamed for nearly 15 seconds as Filipino fans inside the stadium erupted.
The 5.91-metre clearance matched his season best, set at the Golden Sand, Promenada Gwiazd meet in Miedzyzdroje, Poland, in August. His personal best remains 6.00 metres, set in 2023.
The victory gave the Philippines its third gold of the Asian Games, following Carlos Yulo's victories in the men's floor exercise and vault.
China's Yao Jie took silver and 23-year-old compatriot Li Chenyang bronze, with both clearing 5.70 metres — the 35-year-old Yao getting the upper hand on the countback. Thailand's Amsaramng Patsapong finished fourth with a season-best 5.60 metres, while Qatar's Seifeldin Abdelsalam placed fifth with 5.50 metres.
"I'm satisfied," Obiena said afterwards. Asked whether the prime EJ Obiena was finally back, the veteran offered a different answer: "No, I'm better. That's for sure. I'm getting smarter, like I'm kind of a veteran. I feel actually pretty good."
He still holds his 2023 Asian Games performance in higher regard: "The first one is definitely special. More special than this. The emotional high of a first is definitely something. But this one is, I feel like it's a bit of a reborn, a little bit of a different me."
Sources: ESPN
