EJ Obiena successfully defended his men’s pole vault title at the 2026 Asian Games on Tuesday, securing back-to-back gold medals for the Philippines.
 |
| Photo courtesy: One Sports / Facebook |
The two-time Olympian cleared 5.91 meters to set a new Asian Games record and deliver the Philippines its third gold medal of the Games.
Obiena skipped the first three heights before successfully clearing 5.50m, 5.70m, and 5.75m on his first attempts.
His clearance at 5.75m put him in first place, with China’s Yao Jie and Li Chenyang and Thailand’s Patsapong Amsamarng in pursuit.
Amsamarng faltered on both attempts at 5.75m, while Yao missed all three of his attempts at the height.
Li, meanwhile, missed his first attempt at 5.75m before making two unsuccessful attempts at 5.80m.
Obiena also failed on his first two attempts at 5.80m, but had already secured the gold medal after the remaining competitors could not surpass his mark.
With the title already assured, Obiena raised the bar to 5.91m and successfully cleared the height on his final jump.
The clearance broke his previous Asian Games record of 5.90m, which he set while winning gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
A jubilant Obiena celebrated the record-setting jump with a triumphant yell in front of the crowd at the rain-soaked Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
China’s Yao Jie and Li Chenyang both finished with clearances of 5.70m, with Yao taking the silver medal via countback and Li settling for bronze.
The victory extended Obiena’s reign as Asian Games pole vault champion and capped a strong run of victories heading into the continental competition.
Obiena’s latest triumph marked his second consecutive Asian Games gold medal and further strengthened his place among the Philippines’ leading athletes on the international stage.
— The Summit Express
Start the conversation. Share your thoughts, insights, or reactions, and connect with fellow readers.