FILIPINO pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena sustained his winning momentum in 2026 after clinching the gold medal in the men’s pole vault of the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships at the Tuanbo Sports Center in Tianjin, China on Saturday, Feb. 7.
The two-time Filipino Olympian cleared 5.70 meters on his first attempt to secure the top spot on the podium. Obiena attempted to push his mark to 5.80 meters but fell short in three tries.
“Your boy is finally an Asian Indoor Champ,” Obiena said in a Facebook post following his victory.
China’s Li Chenyang attempted to match Obiena’s height but ultimately settled for the silver medal with a 5.60-meter finish. Another Chinese athlete, Chen Yang, claimed the bronze after clearing 5.40 meters on his opening attempt.
The victory marks Obiena’s first-ever gold medal at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and his second of the year, following his stellar performance at the International Springer-Meeting in Germany on Jan. 29.
Obiena is now set to continue his European indoor campaign at the Init Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe in Germany.
Obiena continues to hold the Asian indoor record of 5.93 meters, which he established at the Istaf Indoor meet in February 2024. / via Jasten Arrogante, BiPSU intern