‘My dad's still got it': EJ Obiena honors father's golden feat as he clinches Asian title

GMA Network

3 days ago

Emerson Obiena (left) is seen at the World Masters Games in Taipei, where he won gold. Screenshots from video posted by the Philippine Pole Vault Club and from GMA News
Just days before pole vaulter EJ Obiena soared to another historic gold medal at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, his father and lifelong inspiration, Emerson Obiena, struck gold himself, clearing 3.60 meters to win the men's 60+ pole vault event at the World Masters Games in Taipei.
'My dad's still got it. I'm still in awe, in a way. It's like I can't understand how this guy at the age of 61 now, yeah, turning 61, can still do what he does. And I don't know. I'm out of words with that,' EJ said, visibly moved.
The younger Obiena, who began vaulting by mimicking his father as a child, was quick to honor the man who first introduced him to the sport.. 'Huge congratulations to him, you know, keeping his body in shape such a long time. It's incredible. It really is incredible,' he said.
And then, as if inspired by his father's golden leap, EJ delivered a golden performance of his own.
Despite battling a sore throat and unable to take any medication due to anti-doping rules, EJ Obiena soared to victory at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.
He cleared 5.77 meters in a dramatic jump-off against a top Chinese vaulter, securing his third consecutive Asian title after wins in 2019 and 2023.
'When you do the jump-off, that doesn't mean that you're gonna win,' he said. 'That means you could lose the gold as well, which we both already have. So, yeah, it's the toughest one out there and yeah, it's still good I'd say. I'm happy to retain it three consecutive times. And yeah, hopefully, it gets the ball rolling here in Europe.'
Shortly after his win, EJ flew to Europe to prepare for a series of international competitions. But before South Korea, he spent valuable time training in the Philippines—something he hadn't done in years.
'Definitely having time with my family, having time with my grandmother, my mother, my family, my sister. It's definitely something that I'm more than grateful for to say the least. It's not something I've definitely been able to do for the past 10 years. Yeah, that's gonna be the highest.'
EJ's return to form comes after a bittersweet showing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he reached the finals but missed out on a medal.
Unknown to many at the time, he was nursing a back injury that limited his performance.
'What it really needed was time, which I didn't have before Olympics. Can't just end up resting six weeks before Olympics. So we did what we could definitely… no regrets there. But when it comes to healing, it really is this time—getting the bone to heal, make sure that it's all… how do you say… back in one piece literally.'
Looking ahead, EJ and his team are eyeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But he's taking it one step, one vault, one competition at a time.
'So, if everything goes well, I'm healthy, I'm performing the way I should and I could, and I'm competitive with the global states… then definitely. But is it a guarantee? No. That's why I keep saying it's a day-to-day basis. It's a, you know, I'll take it one competition at a time.'
He knows the challenge ahead is steep—especially with the possibility of facing world number one Mondo Duplantis again. But for EJ, the dream remains alive.
'But the good thing about it is you push yourself to the best of your abilities. And with that, I'm with everyone. I hope that the time would come where I could win. And I just don't know when that would be. I don't even know if that's like a certainty. That's something that, you know, I definitely aim for. That's something that we strive. That's something that, you know, we still consider a reality.'
While in the Philippines, EJ also spent time at the EJ Obiena Pole Vault Facility in Ilocos, which recently hosted the pole vault event at the Palarong Pambansa.
For the first time, the national games included a women's pole vault category—something EJ is especially proud of. 'And I think that's a big step, that's a huge step for Philippine sport because that means we're going to have high schoolers, women, that will be training for pole vault. Therefore, we would have now athletes coming in to universities that have already a background in pole vault.'
From a young boy copying his father's vaults to becoming Asia's pole vault king, EJ Obiena's journey is a story of legacy, resilience, and heart.
And with every leap, he continues to inspire a nation—one vault at a time. — BM, GMA Integrated News