MANILA, Philippines — Ernest John “EJ” Obiena will train with the world’s best pole vaulters under the tutelage of six-time world champion Sergey Bubka of Ukraine.
Athletics chief Go Teng Kok announced Saturday that the son of Filipino pole vault champion Emerson Obiena, left Saturday for Formia, Italy, and will stay there for 90 days to hone his skills in preparation for bigger international tournaments ahead.
Go said the 18-year-old Ateneo sophomore recently cleared the 5.0-meter requirement set by Bubka, vice president of the International Association of Athletics Federations who is spearheading the training camp.
“He (Bubka) facilitated Obiena’s application for approval,” said Go, who met Bubka during the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly held in Manila in February.
Obiena, the national junior record holder at 4.95 meters, finished fourth in the Southeast Asian Games last year in Burma.
Bubka, who won an Olympic gold in 1988 in Seoul, broke the world record 35 times (17 in outdoor and 18 in indoor meets) and was the first pole vaulter to clear 6.0m and 6.10m.
Now 50, Bubka held the world mark of 6.15m for almost 21 years until Renaud Lavillenie of France cleared 6.16m on Feb. 15, 2014.