Elite pole vaulter, world number five, Olympian, and current Asian record holder EJ Obiena is the newest face of Allianz PNB Life.
He joins volleyball star Alyssa Valdez, who officially became part of Allianz PNB Life‘s lineup of brand ambassadors last June.
After reaching the pole vault final in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Obiena continued to compete in more events in Europe. This included his latest historic bid in Austria, where he broke his personal record—as well as the Asian mark—when he cleared 5.93m.
Before Austria, Obiena was already able to tally a new personal and national record after clearing the 5.91m mark in a pole vault competion in Paris last August 29, 2021.
In his most recent appearance in a webinar presented by Allianz PNB Life last July, the star pole vaulter shared, “I just put myself into the work that I’ve been doing, the tasks that I have accepted, and [what] I should be doing.”
But even as he’s high on an international record-breaking streak, Obiena remains grounded.
“If you’re open to learning, if you’re open to growing, and you can see the small improvements, I think that’s a win,” he said.
Obiena, however, wasn’t immune to the toll of the pandemic either.
While being successful from a young age, living away from his family and training in isolation is still difficult for him. With some help from his coach, Obiena was soon enough able to get back on track to Tokyo 2020 and later competitions.
Likewise, Allianz PNB Life joins Obiena’s team in backing the athlete to make more confident leaps and bounds into the future. For Obiena, this is especially important as he prepares himself for future competitions.
“Supporting passionate athletes like E.J. Obiena is part of our mission to be the global insurer of sport and sustainability,” said Alexander Grenz, CEO and President of Allianz PNB Life.
Last January, Allianz officially began its eight-year Worldwide Partner for Olympic and Paralympic Movements until 2028. Allianz has supported the International Paralympic Committee since 2006, most recently as an International Partner.
In 2018, Allianz had the chance to build on more than a decade of success with the Paralympic Movement by becoming the Worldwide Insurance Partner of the Olympic & Paralympic Movements. This served as a big opportunity to drive impact on their strategy along the dimensions of people, business, and brand.
As one of the world’s most sustainable insurers, Allianz integrates waste and carbon emissions reduction, as well as employing a fair and diverse workforce, in its operations. Locally, Allianz PNB Life advocates for green mobility through Ride Safe, an award-winning campaign that promotes cycling among Filipinos.