MANILA — EJ Obiena opened his 2026 season in golden fashion, soaring to the pole vault title at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships on Saturday in Tianjin, China.
The two-time Olympian cleared 5.70 meters on his first attempt to secure the gold medal and affirm his place as Asia’s standard-bearer in the event.
“Your boy is finally an Asian Indoor Champ,” Obiena wrote on Facebook after the win. “This means way more than just a win for me.”
Obiena outdueled China’s Li Chenyang, who failed to match the winning height in three tries and settled for silver after passing 5.60 meters. Fellow Chinese vaulter Chen Yang took bronze with a clearance of 5.40 meters.
The Asian record holder at 5.93 meters pushed his limits further, attempting 5.80 meters, but came up short in all three attempts. Still, the missed height did little to dampen the significance of the victory, which Obiena hinted carried personal weight beyond the podium finish.
The triumph continues a strong run for the Filipino star, who also topped the International Springer-Meeting in Germany two weeks ago, signaling solid early-season form.
Obiena wasted no time after the Tianjin meet, announcing that he would immediately return to Germany for the Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe later in the day.
“For now we fly back to Germany,” he wrote.
With an Asian indoor title now checked off his list, Obiena’s season momentum shows no sign of slowing as he shifts quickly from one international stage to the next. FROM THE WIRES