“4th SEA Games gold and a new championship record. I’d take that any day of the week,” EJ Obiena wrote on Facebook Wednesday, December 17, after a hard-fought victory in the men’s pole vault on Tuesday.
The two-time Olympian cleared 5.70 meters on his first attempt at Suphachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, setting a new Southeast Asian (SEA) Games mark and surpassing his previous record of 5.65 meters from the 2023 Cambodia Games.
Thailand’s Patsapong Amsam-ang matched Obiena’s mark on his third attempt, keeping the competition tight. Both athletes then failed at 5.75 meters, giving Obiena the gold via countback. Fellow Filipino Elijah Cole completed the podium with a clearance of 5.20 meters.
Obiena skipped the first four heights before clearing 5.35 meters, needed two attempts at 5.45 meters, and then cleared 5.55, 5.65, and 5.70 meters on his first tries.
Amsam-ang had been perfect through his first five jumps but faltered twice at 5.70 meters, giving Obiena the winning edge. Cole required three attempts to clear 5.20 meters before failing at 5.35 meters.
The Filipino star praised his competitors for raising the regional standard and described the win as a tough but rewarding battle. “Tough battle with the boys, and I’m proud of them for boosting the region’s standard,” he added, congratulating Amsam-ang on a new national record and Cole for his bronze.
Obiena’s performance reinforced his dominance in Southeast Asia while inspiring the next generation of Filipino track and field athletes. MLSA WITH POC MEDIA POOL