MANILA — EJ Obiena, currently ranked as the world’s No. 3 pole vaulter, believes that the Philippines can cultivate another homegrown pole vault star. He emphasizes the need for greater interest and support for the sport, highlighting that Filipinos have the ideal physique and athleticism to excel in it.
“This is a high time not just for my sport but for all sports. I think there’s an all-time [high in] interest, and I really think we need to invest. What I mean by that is to make it accessible to everyone who wants to do it,” Obiena said during a contract signing with a popular chocolate sports drink brand in Pasig City.
The two-time Olympian is urging the government to not only shine more light on pole vaulting but to also provide significant financial backing for the sport.
“I think the agencies responsible for [grassroots developments] should take advantage of this interest of the next generation of athletes to try different sports,” Obiena added.
He mentioned that this would benefit budding athletes, particularly those already showing promise in pole vaulting.
“Right now, we have Hokett Delos Santos, who’s already a silver medalist in the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, so there’s already that ‘next generation.’ We shouldn’t wait until I can barely do it. We should start now,” Obiena emphasized.
Despite the recent cancellation of a pole vault event that was set to feature some of the world’s best, Obiena reassured fans that the event will happen in the future.
“For sure, we’ll make it happen,” said the athlete, who recently secured a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.