Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2) — Pole vault sensation EJ Obiena was hailed as Athlete of the Year by the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA).
\”He emerged the undisputed pole vault king in Asia in the year just passed,\” the publication wrote on Monday.
The 28-year-old pole vaulter from Tondo, Manila won gold medals in three international tournaments and became the first Filipino to join the pole vault’s “ultra-elite” 6.00-meter club this year.
With a silver medal performance in a tournament in Sweden, Obiena also became the first Filipino bet to secure a spot in the Paris Olympics this summer.
Obiena’s performance in 2023 made him the sole recipient of the Athlete of the Year award.
\”Obiena, son of track and field athletes Emerson and Jeanette Uy, is the first track athlete to be honored with the prestigious award since long jumper Marestella Torres in 2009,\” the PSA said.
Obiena set new records in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia (5.65 meters), the Asian Athletics Championships in Thailand (5.91 meters), and the Asian Games in Hangzhou (5.90 meters) – sweeping all three gold medals.
By the end of 2023, the PSA recognized that Obiena had gone from being ranked sixth to second in the world behind Armand \”Mondo\” Duplantis in the pole vault rankings.
