After breaking two indoor records twice this week, Filipino pole vault sensation Ernest John “EJ” Obiena is off to a bigger stage in the coming weekend.
Obiena is set to compete in the final day of action at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, when its gets going until March 3.
The 28-year-old Obiena is expected to be in high spirits after setting a new Asian indoor record for the second time in a week last Friday.
Obiena will go into action with confidence following his second gold medal victory in the ISTAF meet at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin on Saturday (Manila time).
Over the weekend, Obiena cleared 5.93 meters, which eclipsed the 5.92 meter-record of Kazakh Igor Potapovich established in February, 1998.
Last Wednesday, Obiena kicked off his indoor campaign by clinching the gold at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze—Memorial Josip Gašparac in Osijek, Croatia.
Obiena came up with remarkable leap of 5.83 meters, establishing a new meet standard in the elite category.
His previous best in an indoor setting was at 5.91 meters, which Obiena did at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen, France, in March 2022.
Placing second was his closest rival Tray Oates of the United States of America as he settled for the silver at 5.75 meters.
Polish bet Robert Sobera took the bronze, after he and Torben Blech cleared 5.66 meters.
“What a great atmosphere in a full arena. Happy to come home with a new Asian Indoor Record of 5.93m. Next stop @wicglasgow24,” said Obiena in a social media post.
Fil-American bet Lauren Hoffman and Fil-Spanish John Cabang Tolentino will join Obiena in Glasgow.
Hoffman and Cabang Tolentino were granted slots after the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association sought their inclusion.
“Sure na sila,” said PATAFA secretary general Jasper Tanhueco.
Hoffman got selected after she obliterated the Philippine national record in the women’s indoor 400-meter run, when she finished second in the heats at 53.71 seconds two weeks ago at the Clemson Paw Invitationals at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Complex in South Carolina.
Last month, Hoffman smashed it for the first time, claiming one of two Philippine national records in the 2024 Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational indoor athletics meet also in Clemson, South Carolina.
That was when Hoffman, who became eligible to represent the Philippines in October last year, settled for the bronze medal with a record-breaking time of 53.91 seconds.
“Just when I thought my indoor season was done, God has opened up another door. Next week I’ll be representing the Philippines at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland! Excited to represent the country I love and get after it one more time this season! Thank you @officialpatafa for the support!,” said Hoffman in an online statement.
Cabang Tolentino, who is seeking Olympic qualification in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, broke the men’s indoor 60-meter hurdles record for the second time in a row as he settled for a bronze medal with his effort.
The 22-year-old Cabang checked in at 7.64 seconds for third place in the finals on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) during the 11th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Aftab Enghelab Sport Complex, Tehran.