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    As PH losses pile up, EJ Obiena counted upon to win elusive gold

    Obiena stays out of the public eye in Hangzhou as he focuses on gold-medal bid
    Sep 29, 2023
    EJ Obiena
    PHOTO: AP

    HANGZHOU – The weight of winning the Philippines’ first-ever gold in the 19th Asian Games is now on the shoulders of EJ Obiena as the world-ranked pole vaulter finally sees action on Saturday at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre.

    The 27-year-old Filipino is currently ranked No. 2 in the world and twice the holder of the Asian record at 6.0 meters, making him the overwhelming favorite to top the field of 12 entries that included reigning title-holder Seito Yamamoto of Japan.

    READ: Nesthy Petecio makes shock exit from Asian Games

    The event is set at 7:05 p.m.

    Recovering from an ACL injury, Obiena was hardly a factor in the 2018 Asiad in Palembang, Indonesia where he finished seventh (5.45m) in a competition which Yamamoto topped by leaping to an Asian Games record of 5.75m.

    But a lot had changed five years after.

    EJ Obiena Margielyn Didal flag bearers Asian Games

    Obiena has since risen to become the second best pole vaulter in the world behind the legendary Arman ‘Mondo’ Duplantis when he won a first- ever silver medal in the World Championship in Hungary last July.

    A month after, the Filipino retained the pole vault gold in the Asian Athletics Championship.

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      “With good vibes, it’s sure for gold,” said a confident Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino. “His competitions this year has prepared him well for the Asian Games especially his 6.0 meters which he cleared twice. Knowing EJ and because he’s yet to win an Asian Games gold medal, he’ll go for it.”

      The University of Santo product was one of two flag bearers – along with Margielyn Didal - for Team Philippines during the opening ceremony.

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        But he has stayed out of the public eye to focus on the greater task at hand of providing the first gold to a Philippine team campaign that has so far produced a lone silver and six bronzes five days after competition went full blast.

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        “He’s trying to get in the zone. He doesn’t want to disappoint the country,” said Jim Lafferty, an adviser to the Filipino pole vaulter. “Let’s let him stay focused. It’s been a mixed bag Asian Games so far.”

        Despite coming over in China for about a week now, Obiena continues to recover from jet lag after flying directly from Eugene Oregon where he competed in the Diamond League finals.

        “But he is a veteran. He will do what he has to do come tomorrow (Saturday),” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Terry Capistrano.

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        PHOTO: AP
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