MANILA, Philippines — It was just a matter of time before Filipino pole-vaulter EJ Obiena accomplished what no other Asian before him has ever done.
It came one sunny Saturday in Bergen, Norway where the bronze medalist in the 2022 World Championships reached Mount Everest of the sport and breached the six-meter plateau in an exhilarating performance in the Sparebanken Vest Bergen Jump Challenge.
In one fell swoop, Obiena leapfrogged to 6.0 meters and set new Philippine and Asian records to bury the old one at 5.94m that he registered a year ago when he snared a historic bronze at the Worlds in Portland, Oregon.
It also sealed the unchallenged Southeast Asian Games gold winner the crown as Americans KC Lightfoot, who had an identical 6.0m but got it only on the second attempt, and Sam Kendricks, who had 5.88m, wound up second and third, respectively.
And because of it, Obiena can now breathe the same rarified air that only 27 others could, including Hall of Famer Sergey Bubka, who had a 6.15m, and the sport’s demigod in Armand Duplantis, who owns the current world record at 6.22m.
It was made more impressive by the fact that Obiena was the only Asian to ever achieve such a feat.
“It all started with a dream to jump over 5m and set the national record to now be the 28th person all-time to go over the 6m barrier and the first ever Asian/Filipino,” said Obiena.
“It took a few moments to sink in. But when it did, tears began to fall, there was no greater shoulder to cry on than my coach, Vitaly (Petrov). Couldn’t have done it without him.”