EJ Obiena calls rainy Asian Games gold 'poetic' after defending pole vault crown

NAGOYA, JAPAN — EJ Obiena remained Asia’s pole vault king after successfully defending his men’s pole vault title at the 20th Asian Games, winning another gold medal for the Philippines on a rain-soaked night.

The Olympian and World Championships medalist cleared 5.91 meters, setting a new Asian Games record and eclipsing the 5.90-meter mark he established when he won his first Asiad gold in Hangzhou in 2023.

China’s Yao Jie took silver, while compatriot Li Chenyang settled for bronze.

For Obiena, however, one of the most memorable moments came after the competition.

Rain continued to pour during the medal ceremony as the Philippine national anthem, “Lupang Hinirang,” played and Obiena stood on top of the podium between the two Chinese medalists.

“It was poetic,” Obiena said.

Rather than allowing himself to get lost in what could come next, the Filipino pole vaulter said he simply tried to absorb the moment.

“You’ll never know if it’s going to happen,” he said.

The victory capped another strong stretch for Obiena, who has won several international tournaments this season. He had already won nine gold medals in international competitions by early September and said his best form had returned heading into the Asian Games.

Conditions in Nagoya, however, were far from ideal.

Obiena said he was already dealing with an unexpected mishap even before arriving at the stadium.

He showed wounds on his arm and knee after slipping at the hotel where he was staying before the men’s pole vault final. Obiena said the fall was painful, but he refused to allow it to affect his competition. The wounds stung even more as they were repeatedly soaked by rain during the event.

The Asian Games champion is expected to take a break from competition after a long season, but another Olympic campaign remains a possibility.

Asked whether his latest Asian Games victory could lead him back to the Olympics, Obiena said he would not rule it out. If the opportunity remains and his body allows it, he intends to continue training and improving.

An Olympic medal remains the one major prize missing from his collection. Obiena finished fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympics and has won medals at two World Championships, along with multiple continental titles.

The now two-time Asian Games champion also thanked Filipinos who followed and supported his campaign while encouraging them to give the same support to the country’s other athletes competing in Nagoya.

—JKC, GMA News