Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena clinched his third consecutive gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships with a dramatic win at the Gumi Civic Stadium in South Korea.
The world No. 2 faced stiff competition from his training partner, China’s Huang Bokai, as the two battled through a nail-biting jump-off after both cleared 5.72 meters earlier in the competition. With the bar reset to 5.77 meters, Obiena soared over it on his first attempt, while Huang was unable to match the feat and settled for silver.
Thailand’s Patsapong Amsamarng also delivered a standout performance, achieving a personal best of 5.67 meters to take the bronze.
Obiena’s victory underscored his ability to stay composed under pressure, further solidifying his dominance in the region.
Fellow Filipino Hokett delos Santos placed 13th with a clearance of 4.97 meters, edging out Malaysia’s Muhammad Naufal Shahrul Afzam via countback.
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Filipino-American Robyn Brown was unable to retain her title and finished fifth with a time of 56.98 seconds. China’s Mo Jiadie captured the gold with 55.31 seconds, closely followed by Bahrain’s Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya and India’s Vithya Ramraj.
