EJ OBIENA captured the gold medal in the Taiwan International Pole Vault Championships amid foggy conditions during the competition.
Obiena cleared 5.50 meters to win the event that he competed for the first time under such conditions.
“During several of the many flights I have taken to compete in pole vault around the world, I have indeed encountered fog warnings at the airport where you can see very little. Well, I had a new experience today. I had my first fog warning in the midst of a pole vault competition in Taiwan,” wrote Obiena on his Facebook page.
“With roughly 10 meters visibility, you just disappear. Talk about the proverbial ‘leap of faith.’ Well, I decided to go for it and place my leap of faith in God’s hand. I am thankful to have won the competition under such ‘murky conditions’,” he added.
It was not the first time, however, that Obiena won a competition during a weather disturbance. Under rainy conditions, Obiena took the gold in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
The competition actually started under fair weather conditions, but fog hovered around the venue later on.
“We can’t always have sunny skies and perfect weather conditions. We have to persevere through all kinds of adversity. This was a new kind of adversity and I learned from it,” said Obiena.
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