EJ Obiena Defends His Asian Games Title With a New Games Record
EJ Obiena won the men’s pole vault at the 20th Asian Games on Tuesday night, September 29, in Nagoya. He cleared 5.91 meters, a new Games record. The old one, 5.90, was his own from Hangzhou in 2023.
It was the Philippines’ third gold of these Games. Carlos Yulo won the first two, in the floor exercise and the vault.
A fall before the bar went up
It had been raining in Nagoya for days. Before the final, Obiena slipped and fell. Afterward he picked at the scar on his left arm while he talked to reporters. Winning came first, he said, and with the rain, slipping was a real risk. He had the Asian record of 6.00 meters in mind too, just not as the main goal.
Gold came at 5.75
Obiena opened at 5.50 meters and cleared it first try. He skipped 5.60, cleared 5.70, then went over 5.75 on his first attempt. Nobody else cleared 5.75, which was enough for the title. Yao Jie and Li Chenyang of China took silver and bronze at 5.70.
He missed 5.80 twice. With gold already his, he passed his last attempt at that height and had the bar moved to 5.91. He cleared it on the first try. He did not attempt 6.00 because cramps were setting in.
That ended his season. Nagoya was his tenth win of 2026, and the 5.91 matched his season best from a meet in Poland in August. Even with the win secured, he said he would rather take the risk and go for 5.91 than settle.
