EJ Obiena Overcomes Early Struggles to Advance to Olympic Pole Vault Finals

PARIS—Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John ‘EJ’ Obiena successfully secured his spot in the finals of the men’s pole vault at the Paris Olympics, overcoming early setbacks during a nerve-wracking qualification round at Stade De France on Saturday.

According to Philippines News Agency, ranked second in the world, faced significant challenges after failing his first two attempts at his starting height of 5.6 meters. Despite suffering from a back injury incurred during his pre-Olympic preparations, Obiena decided to skip his final attempt at 5.6 meters and risked an elimination jump at 5.7 meters. This bold move paid off as he cleared the height, allowing him to continue to 5.75 meters, which he passed on his first attempt. This performance placed him comfortably among the 10 athletes who surpassed 5.75 meters, thus avoiding the need to meet the 5.8-meter qualification standard.

Notable qualifiers alongside Obiena included the world’s top-ranked vaulter Mondo Duplantis and Asian competitor Huang Bokai. The final lineup was rounded out after a countback tiebreaker, bringing Australia’s Kurtis Marschall and Latvia’s Valters Kriess into the finals. In a surprising turn, Team USA’s Chris Nilsen, considered a strong contender, was eliminated early after failing to clear 5.4 meters.

Reflecting on his journey and the adversities faced, Obiena had expressed his determination on social media just days before the Olympics, committing to giving his all despite the physical challenges. His resilience and optimism shine as he advances to the final round, aiming to improve upon his 11th-place finish at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.