Obiena rips PH record

Pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena of University of Santo Tomas broke his national record with a leap of 5.46 meters during the UAAP track and field competitions Wednesday at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.

Obiena’s old mark was 5.45 meters according to coach Renato Unso, who was present when the 6-foot-1 Electronics and Communications Engineering student pulled off the feat.

But an attempt to clear 5.70 meters – the standard for qualifying in the Rio Olympics – failed.

“Nalampasan niya but when was he was about to go down, tumama yung leg niya,” narrated Unso.

As this developed, Obiena will make another attempt should he decide to compete in the Asian Indoor championships in Doha, Qatar, this weekend.

Obiena is set to leave for Doha on a Cebu Pacific flight at 9 p.m. but he may have to skip the event if PATAFA head Phlip Ella Juico fails to find an equipment that has the same specs as the one that he regularly uses.

Owing to safety reasons, Cebu Pacific s not allowing the transport of Obiena’s gear, prompting Juico, who is now in Qatar, to look for a replacement that is identical to what Obiena uses.

Unso said that if Juico is unable to get a similar equipment, Obiena will just be told to stay and get ready for another event that is lined up down the road.

An effort to transport the gear via Qatari Airlines was also considered but officials declined as well.