EJ Obiena shatters SEA Games record again as he retains pole vault title in Cambodia
The Asian record holder won his third Southeast Asian Games gold medal and set a new meet record of 5.65m at the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh.
Athletics
Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena has become a three-time Southeast Asian Games champion.
The 2022 world bronze medallist retained his men’s gold in the 2023 Games, setting a new meet record of 5.65m on Monday 9 May at the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Obiena was the only athlete in the field to clear the first height of 5.20m. He then went on to clear 5.40m and easily passed the the 5.45m mark. The Filipino record holder improved on his 2022 meet record of 5.46m from the previous SEA Games with a single attempt over 5.55m before topping 5.60m and 5.65m.
Although he could have gone further, Obiena was exhausted from the delay of the final due to heavy rains in Phnom Penh.
“I’m tired. If I had more energy maybe I should have, gone higher, but it’s early in the season,” admitted the Filipino star, who had opened his season at an Indoor meeting in Padova soaring over 5.65m.
The Asian Games record holder, whose coaching team is led by Ukrainian Vitaly Petrov and his father Emerson Obiena, a retired pole vaulter, achieved his best clearance this year at Armand Mondo Duplantis' own event, the Mondo Classic, where he placed third behind the Swedish world record holder and the American vaulter KC Lightfoot.
Obiena's best clearance this year is 5.91m.
To support pole vaulting in the Philippines and help aspiring pole vaulters, many of whom have been inspired by his success in the sport, he will auction his shoes, which feature the Philippine flag and his logo.
“I am auctioning the spikes. This is a special one, with the Philippine flag and my logo. We need more pole vaulters in the Philippines… all the money and proceeds will go to the buying of a new pole vault pit.”