The qualification of the Philippines’ top pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena to the 2024 Paris Olympics is a good indication for Philippine athletics as it gives the country a competitive edge in search for medals in the Olympiad.
“It’s good that an athlete in athletics is the first Filipino qualifier to the Olympics, knowing that it is a centerpiece event. We are happy with this development,” said PATAFA secretary general Edward Kho.
Obiena hit the 5.82-meter qualifying mark on his second attempt in the men’s pole event of the Bauhaus Galan leg of the Wanda Diamond League 2023 on Sunday (Monday in Manila) in Stockholm, Sweden.
This earned him the right to represent the Philippines again in the Olympiad after making it in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis thrilled the home crowd with his 6.05-m performance for the gold medal.
The 23-year-old Duplantis went to claim his fourth Stockholm crown, following wins in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
With his qualification, Obiena can just focus on his preparations for the Olympics when he competes for the country in the Asian Championships and in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
The 27-year old Obiena had been getting better performances after embracing a 20-step move, a technique which his Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov taught him.
