Summit breakthrough – EJ Obiena is the first Filipino to win in the World Athletics Championship
Asia’s best pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena achieved what no other Filipino has done in the past – win a medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Monday – a bronze that shone like gold.
But the Summit Natural Drinking Water brand ambassador isn’t done yet in his #thirstforgold.
The 6’2” Obiena is getting ready to be back in action either in the Poland leg of the Diamond League on August 6, 2022 or the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix in Szekesfehervar two days later.
Next year, he defends his SEA Games’ title in Cambodia, before keeping his status as the region’s best in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. All of these culminate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where Obiena may finally be ripe for a medal.
“It’s getting tough. It’s a bit of a contrasting spectrum of emotions. I’m very happy that the sport is progressing, happy that I’m part of the era where the level of pole vaulting is in such a high level, but at the same time, it just shows I need to work a lot harder to reach the things I want to do and to win championships that I want to win,” Obiena said in an online press conference a day after securing the bronze in the Worlds with his new Asian, Philippine and personal record of 5.94 meters.
Obiena, who was one of the finalists in the Tokyo Olympics, where expectations for him to deliver were sky high, said hard work and perseverance must continue for him to achieve another podium finish in the Paris games.
“That’s the plan. That’s definitely what I want to achieve,” said Obiena.
Even before Obiena carved a name for himself in the world of athletics, Summit has been supportive of his journey in his every leap for glory.
“Summit Natural Drinking Water has always believed in the world-class ability of EJ and we are proud of his recent historic accomplishment that has raised the Philippine flag where it has never fluttered before,” said Asia Brewery Inc. Brand Manager, Francheska Garcia. “We have always been behind EJ and we vow to be with him all the way as he quenches his #ThirstForGold and continues his march to the #Summit.”
That journey to the summit includes his goal of breaching the 6-meter mark.
“There’s a lot of things I want to do in the sport. It’s a great motivator to move forward, to keep doing what I do. I’m still happy to win the bronze medal, but there’s something I still needed to do,” he said. “There are only 24 people who have reached that 6-meter mark and I want to be the 25th.”
Obiena joined Team Summit after his quick rise in the pole-vaulting scene following various triumphs and record-breaking feats – from the Diamond League to the Olympics and recently in the Vietnam SEA Games, where he smashed his own 2019 record of 5.45 meters with 5.46 to clinch a second straight pole vault gold in the regional meet. Prior to his feat in the Worlds, he had his highest leap of 5.93 meters, the new Asian record at that time, which he set last year in the 2021 Golden Rooftop Challenge in Innsbruck, Austria.
“The accolades and accomplishments have kept pouring in for EJ, feats that are well deserved because of the hard work that he puts into his craft,” said Summit Natural Drinking Water Brand Manager, Francheska Garcia. “We are ecstatic of his achievements because they show the resilience of the Filipino when faced with challenges. Mabuhay ka EJ!”
For more information, visit facebook.com/SummitNaturalDrinkingWater and instagram.com/summitwaterph/.Asia’s best pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena achieved what no other Filipino has done in the past – win a medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Monday – a bronze that shone like gold.
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