Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11) – The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has formally included bemedalled pole vaulter EJ Obiena in the 654-man Philippine team that will be sent to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Hanoi, Vietnam in May.
“EJ’s name must be there,” POC president and Cavite Rep. Bambol Tolentino said on Friday.
Tolentino told CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk on Wednesday that Obiena’s inclusion in the regional sports event, where he is the defending champion, is still up in the air as they will await the result of the mediation process between the pole vaulter and the Philippine Athletics and Track and Field Association.
RELATED: Mediation result key for EJ Obiena’s chance to defend SEA Games title
The POC chief added that the international athletics governing body World Athletics has yet to respond to their letter asking if their endorsement alone will suffice in allowing Obiena to participate in major tournaments this year such as the SEAG and Asian Games in September.
“It’s both frustrating and disappointing if we don’t see EJ setting a new SEA Games record in Hanoi,” Tolentino said. “Logic plays a major role here for the need to include him in the SEA Games list, this is sports and he’s a national sports pride.”
PATAFA has yet to issue a statement on the latest development in Obiena’s Vietnam SEAG stint.
Obiena leapt 5.45 meters to set a competition record and clinch the gold in the 2019 SEAG held at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. His SEAG record-setting leap is lower than his personal record of 5.93 meters, which is also the Asian record in outdoor pole vault.
Tolentino hopes Obiena will be allowed to compete just like former Asia track queen Lydia de Vega in 1985, when POC had to intervene to include her name in the Asean Cup after the national athletics federation dropped her for refusing to join the training camp in Baguio City.
