Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 16) – Pole vault phenomenon EJ Obiena on Sunday set a new regional record on the way to a gold medal finish at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.
Obiena, the World No. 3 pole vaulter, established a new event record of 5.91 meters in two attempts. He broke the old record of 5.71m he himself set at the 2019 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.
The Filipino was the only athlete to clear 5.91m at the Bangkok Games. Based on the score sheet, he tried to vault 6.02m but fell short across three attempts.
Saudi Arabia’s Hussain Asim Alhizam took the silver, but only managed to clear 5.56m. China’s Huang Bokai finished third after scoring 5.51m.
Obiena secured a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics two weeks ago, after clearing the 5.82m mark at the Wanda Diamond League’s Bauhaus Galan meet in Stockholm, Sweden, a qualifying event for the Summer Games.
READ: EJ Obiena earns Paris Olympics spot after clearing 5.82-meter qualifying mark
He also reset the Asian record after a dominant performance at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway last June.
Obiena’s showing in Norway solidified his status as the 28th member of the elusive “six-meter club,” the first Filipino and Asian to do so.
READ: EJ Obiena smashes Asian record with 6-meter clearance in Norway meet
