By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Two-time Olympian EJ Obiena banners a strong 15-player Philippine team as he defends his pole vault title in the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships happening on May 27 to 31 in Gumi, South Korea.
Obiena, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, hopes to achieve what he has done in the previous edition of the biennial meet where he cleared 5.91 meters for the gold medal ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Hussain Asim Alhizam (5.56m) and China’s Huang Bokai (5.51m).
The 29-year-old Obiena, who also holds the Asian record of 6.00m he set at the world championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2023, is coming off a golden performance at the inaugural Patafa Pole Vault Challenge early this month where he matched his season-best 5.80m.
Like Obiena, Fil-American Robyn Brown is out to duplicate her feat in the previous edition where she won the women’s 400m hurdles.
Other Filipinos seeing action are pole vaulter Hokket Delos Santos, middle distance runner Yacine Guermali, hurdler John Cabang Tolentino, newcomer Carlos de Imus, William Morrison (shotput), high jumper Leonard Grospe, Frederick Ramirez (800m), Hussain Lorana, Ronnie Malipay and Kharis Patonial.
Completing the cast are Olympian Kristina Knott, Lauren Hoffman and Bernalyn Bejoy.
The PH team won two gold medals courtesy of Obiena and Brown in the last edition held in Bangkok, Thailand to finish tied for sixth in the overall medal tally.
Japan dominated that edition by reaping 16 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals, followed by China with eight gold, eight silver and six bronze medals, and India with six gold, 12 silver and nine bronze medals.
