Logistical woes force Obiena out of Asian indoor

EJ Obiena at the International Springer-Meeting in Cottbus, Germany. -MEET YOURSELF ON FACEBOOK

Ernest John Obiena is bound for Uppsala, Sweden, and will take for the victory of the current world champion Armand Duplantis right in his hometown last Friday to somehow ease the sadness of missing the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships.

The Filipino pole vaulter was forced to skip the Asian indoor meet in Astana, Kazakhstan, on February 10 to 12 due to logistical difficulties with the pole, losing his chance to break the continental indoor record with a distance of 5.93 meters.

“Maybe, he won’t be able to join the team [in Kazakhstan],” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary general Edward Kho. “Unfortunately, no airline will allow us to bring the poles because the small plane going to Astana from the transit point cannot accommodate it.”

Thin contingent

The Philippine team will send a delegation of 13 athletes to the Asian indoor with Tokyo Olympic sprinter Kristina Marie Knott and boxers Hokett delos Santos and Natalie Uy also participating in the meet. Both Delos Santos and Uy have knee injuries.

Obiena, the world’s No. 3 vaulter, is coming off a gold performance at the Perche En Or in Roubaix, France, over the weekend after opening the indoor season with a silver finish at the International Springer Meeting exactly a week ago.

Last year, Italy-based Obiena placed eighth at the Beijer Stavhoppsgala Uppsala, where Duplantis ruled the event by clearing 6.04 meters in front of her hometown crowd.

In Indoor Asia, Obiena was the heavy favorite on a good day, with only China’s Yao Jie and Huang Bokai standing in his way.

The 27-year-old from Tondo, Manila, made history at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States, as the first Filipino to top the podium after his bronze medal performance where he set an Asian record at 5.94 meters.

Second win?

The feat pushed the Asian record holder up to No. 3 in the world-out of six overall-behind Duplantis and No. 2 Chris Nilsen from the United States.

But the other high point of Obiena’s season was the victory over Duplantis for the first time in his career during the Wanda Diamond League in Brussels, Belgium, four months ago, where he cleared 5.91 meters in his third attempt.

That boosted Obiena’s confidence and made it clear that he could beat the best at the Olympics.

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