EJ Obiena Takes His Next Leap Forward

Following his stint at the 2024 Paris Olympics, record-breaking pole vaulter EJ Obiena looks to reach new heights.

EJ Obiena has carved out a legacy marked by a series of firsts—a journey that began when he was among the first Filipino athletes to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, which was then followed by his qualification to the Paris Olympics more than a year before the scheduled games.

In a sport dominated by towering figures, the Tondo-born pole vaulter has risen as a formidable contender, consistently ranking among the world’s elite. His triumph at the Stockholm Diamond League, where he cleared 5.82 meters on his second attempt, not only secured his ticket to the Paris Olympics last 2023 but also solidified his place as the world’s number two pole vaulter at the time. This achievement follows his historic six-meter jump at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway, making him the first Asian—and the first Filipino—to reach such heights.

Though he narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his performance, alongside other Olympians like Carlos Yulo, Nesthy Petecio, and Aira Villegas, showed the world that Filipino athletes can consistently compete against the best.

Following this, Obiena now looks toward the Philippine International Vault Challenge, where he invites Olympians such as Mondo Duplantis, Emmanouil Karalis, and Oleg Zernikel to compete. This event will be held at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati on September 20 of this year.

Outside his athletic career, Obiena now begins to dabble in the realm of fashion. It was sparked by a shoot held at The Lafayette Hotel in San Diego, California for Vogue Philippines, which has been used for filming scenes in Tom Cruise’s Top Gun, and as the stage for musician Nina Simone for her live performances. Here, Obiena was cast against the backdrop of the hotel’s cinema-inspired setting, with looks reminiscent of the Hollywood film stars that have graced the hotel since its opening in the late 40s.