Obiena’s Rio fate hinges on new poles

Photo from Olympic.ph

EJ OBIENA has to adapt to a new set of poles real quick in his final push for an Olympic bid.

The country’s premier pole vault artist will get his chance to clear 5.70 meters in the Stabhochsprung Classic in Leverkusen, Germany, this Friday to earn a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Obiena has been trying to adjust with the brand-new fiber glass poles after the four old reliable sticks he used in previous tournaments got broken in a recent overseas trip.

If he fails in Germany, the 20-year-old son of former pole vault champion Emerson will get a final chance to qualify during the Thailand Open on July 4 to 7.

Obiena, training in Fornia, Italy, under Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov, shattered the Southeast Asian record when he cleared 5.55 meters in the recent Singapore Open.

Petrov has produced the likes of world champions Sergey Bubka, Yelena Isinbayeva and Giuseppe Gibilisco.

Meanwhile, three more tournaments in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Thailand are lined up for long jumper Marestella Torres-Sunang, who may lose her “universality” spot if marathoner Mary Joy Tabal books a Rio ticket.