EJ Obiena made full use of his home advantage, winning the gold medal in the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge.
EJ Obiena walked towards the landing pit, turned to the crowd, then let out a roar that had everyone at the Ayala Triangle Gardens cheering with pride on Sunday.
Just a week after getting the boot in the World Athletics Championship, Obiena returned home and emerged as gold medalist in the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge he helped put together.
The Filipino ace bested France’s Thibault Collet via countback, both clearing 5.80m but with Obiena doing it in only two attempts.
Obiena and Collet figured in a tussle at 5.90m but they just couldn’t get over the bar.
Piotr Lisek wound up with bronze in the tournament also joined by Matt Ludwig, Ersu Sasma, Austin Miller, Oleg Zernikel, Menno Vloon, and Hokett Delos Santos.
Belgium’s Ben Broeders was also supposed to compete, but back spasms reduced him to a hype man in Sunday’s main event.
The tournament is sanctioned by the World Athletics Association.
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.