Camille Naredo

Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena. Handout photo

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EJ Obiena

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758259554169CopernicusCup2023_08022023_fotPawelSkraba_1230.JPG" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena. Handout photo"/>Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena. Handout photo</div>MANILA -- After the 2024 Paris Olympics, Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena revealed a longtime dream -- to host an international pole vault event in the Philippines. Obiena, who placed fourth in Paris, wanted to bring over his fellow athletes and put together an elite-level competition for Filipino sports fans, and to show that the Philippines can be a great host to a global sporting event.  &quot;I will try to get the Olympic finalists and have a really good competition in the Philippines. I think the country deserves that,&quot; Obiena said at the time.Obiena&#x27;s dream is coming true this weekend through the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge, which brings the Filipino star together with eight other world-class vaulters at the Ayala Triangle for the first-ever international pole vault competition on Philippine soil.  The event, sanctioned by World Athletics, takes place on September 21.It is also the fitting climax to Obiena&#x27;s 2025 season, after bowing out of contention early in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last week. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/9/13/pole-vault-ej-obiena-misses-out-on-2025-world-athletics-final-2117">READ: EJ Obiena misses out on 2025 World Athletics Final</a></div>&quot;More than experiencing this event myself, I&#x27;m excited to give this experience to Filipino sports fans. Like I said last year, the country deserves this. Filipinos deserve to enjoy this level of competition, to have something to cheer for,&quot; said Obiena.Pole vaulters flying in for the weekend event include World No. 5 Ersu Sasma from Turkey and World No. 6 Menno Vloon from the Netherlands, France&#x27;s Thibaut Collet (No. 12), Belgium&#x27;s Ben Broeders (No. 13), American Austin Miller (No. 14), Poland&#x27;s Piotr Lisek (No. 15), Germany&#x27;s Oleg Zernikel (No. 16), and USA&#x27;s Matt Ludwig (No. 23).Obiena had issued an open call for support when he announced the event, and now the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge is backed by 32 companies and supported by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, World Athletics and Asian Athletics. Among the private organizations who pledged their support early are the Ayala Foundation and the MVP Sports Foundation. Also on board is PUMA, which has prepared exclusive merchandise for the event including limited-edition polos and t-shirts.&quot;It&#x27;s just been over 70 days since we announced this event. I can&#x27;t believe we&#x27;re just a couple of days away. I&#x27;m so grateful to everyone who pitched in. I&#x27;m blown away by the support that we&#x27;ve received, and I cannot wait to see everyone at the Ayala Triangle,&quot; said Obiena.

After the 2024 Paris Olympics, Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena revealed a longtime dream -- to host an international pole vault event in the Philippines.

After the 2024 Paris Olympics, Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena revealed a longtime dream -- to host an international pole vault event in the Philippines.

EJ Obiena realizes a dream with World Pole Vault Challenge

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EJ Obiena realizes a dream with World Pole Vault Challenge

ABS-CBN News

Published September 19, 2025 01:45 PM PHT

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pole vault

EJ Obiena

Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge

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