PH pole vaulter sets new Southeast Asian record

Pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena has set a new Southeast Asian standard in a golden performance at the 2015 Thailand Open.

Fresh from a two-month camp at the IAAF High Performance Center in Fornia, Italy, Obiena cleared 5.40 meters at the Thamasat University in Bangkok Wednesday to erase the 5.30-meter record of Thailand’s Porranot Purahong registered during the Singapore Southeast Asian Games.

The 19-year-old, son of Filipino pole vault icon Emerson Obiena, returned the favor to Purahong, who placed second on his turf this time in 5.20m. Obiena got the silver in Singapore (5.25 meters).

Right after Obiena’s silver finish in the SEAG, he immediately went to Italy and trained under Vitaliy Petrov, coach of the legendary Sergey Bubka, a six-time world champion and former world record holder.

According to the website pinoyathletics.info of Philippine track and field consultant Andrew Pirie, Obiena improved from 5.00 to 5.20 and progressed further in the SEAG and Thailand Open in a bid to earn a spot in the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.

Obiena should meet the Olympic standard of 5.70 meters to join Filipino-American hurdler Eric Cray in the Olympics. Pirie said Obiena has until July 11 of next year to achieve the feat.

Cray is the only Filipino assured of competing in Rio after meeting the Olympic standard in the men’s 400m hurdles.

Also vying for an Olympic appearance in athletics are two-time Olympian Marestella Torres, marathoner Mary Joy Tabal, 800m specialist Mervin Guarte and Edgardo Alejan (1500m).