OBIENA STAMPS MARK IN WORLDS
ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA clinched the men’s bronze medal on Monday at the World Athletics Championships—an announcement that he, indeed, has arrived and is now in the company of the elite in men’s pole vault.
And he earned the podium finish alongside the great Armand Duplantis in Asian record fashion at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
The 26-year-old Obiena cleared 5.94 meters not only to reset the Asian record of 5.93 meters he booked in Sweden last year, but also claimed for the Philippines its first world track and field medal.
That second attempt cost him a potential silver though.
American Christopher Nilsen also did 5.94 meters but on his first attempt, thus claiming the silver medal behind, who else, “Mondo” himself. Duplantis cleared 6.21 meters to beat his world record by .01.
Just like before his stint in Eugene when he shunned interviews, Obiena couldn’t be reached for his feelings about the medal that shimmered like gold.
But that didn’t matter at this time as his pole and his skills did the talking.
“It’s the world championships and we are very proud of him,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told Businessmirror on Monday. “Bronze is bronze in the worlds. It’s absolutely a big achievement.”
“He jumped like a hungry lion,” Tolentino added.
As ecstatic was Obiena’s long-time mentor and confidante Jim Lafferty.
“I cannot adequately express how proud I am of EJ,” Lafferty said. “He has battled so much adversity, a level of which would have beaten mere mortals. He has shown he is a lion, a world-class competitor in every sense of the word.”
Lafferty added he wasn’t surprised Obiena made the podium.
“He’s No. 6 in the world,” he said. “Everything’s a clear possibility and he did it.”
Obiena buddy, Rio 2016 Olympics gold medalist Thiago Braz da Silva of Brazil, as fourth with 5.87 meters, followed by Oleg Zernikel of Germany, Renaud Lavillenie of France and Bo Kanda Lita Baehre also of Germany.
The men’s pole vault competitions started with 31 athletes but only 12 advanced to the final with Obiena as the only Asian in the group.
Jeanette and dad and coach Emerson Obiena followed their son’s campaign on Youtube and celebrated from their home in Tondo.
“We’re very, very happy,” Jeanette Obiena said.
Obiena won gold at both the 2019 and postponed 2022 Southeast Asian Games and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics also as the only Asian and finished at 11th place. He persevered by staying in Italy and Europe and religiously followed his revered Ukrainian coach, Vitaly Petrov.
He tried to clear 6.0 meters on Monday, but missed.
Nevertheless, the bronze has indeed made Obiena a hungry lion.
“Hungry for more and the best is yet to come!” he glared on social media.