THERE was tremendous pressure on world no. 2 pole vaulter EJ Obiena to win the first gold medal for the Philippines in the 19th Asian Games, but he showed that he thrives under pressure.
On a day when the country’s men’s national basketball team faltered in its gold-medal hunt and the women’s football team being kicked out of the football competition, Obiena gave the nation something to cheer about as he snared the country’s first gold medal in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
And it was all done in record fashion as Obiena booked a new Asian record of 5.90 meters in pole vault, an event which he was expected to dominate.
The old Asian mark for pole vault was 5.70 meters, established by Seito Yamamoto of Japan during the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia.
Obiena’s gold also ended a 37-year gold medal drought for the country. The last time the Philippines won a gold medal in athletics was during the 1986 Seoul Asiad, courtesy of Asia’s sprint queen, Lydia de Vega-Mercado, who won in the 100-meter dash.
(PHOTO CREDIT: EJ Obiena Facebook page)