“If I could, I would be a hurdler”: Pole Vault icon EJ Obiena on his first love in athletics

Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena has long cemented his status as one of the greatest athletes the Philippines has ever produced. At just 30 years old, Obiena boasts an impressive résumé highlighted by multiple international podium finishes and a stint as World No. 2 in men’s pole vault—an achievement that underscores his place among the global elite and solidifies his standing as Asia’s premier athlete in the discipline.

While Obiena is now synonymous with pole vaulting excellence, his journey into the sport was not always set in stone. In fact, the Filipino standout revealed that his first love in track and field was a completely different event—hurdling.

“If I could, I would be a hurdler. Unfortunately, I’m not as fast as I would want to be competitive in that sport. Hurdling was my mum’s event; it was the first event I did for track and field. It’s something that I truly enjoyed,” Obiena shared during a recent media interaction.

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The revelation offers a glimpse into the early influences that shaped his athletic development. His exposure to hurdling, a highly technical event requiring rhythm, speed, and coordination, played a key role in building the foundation for his eventual success in pole vaulting. According to Obiena, the crossover benefits between the two disciplines are significant.

HE’S TOUCHED THE SKY ☝️💪

Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena shared a reel of his experience participating in back-to-back competitions.

After winning gold at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships on Saturday, Feb. 7, he once again finished on the podium after rushing back to… pic.twitter.com/hNZhlq28xD

— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) February 18, 2026

“You know, it’s definitely something that provides us a better form of sprinting, because you can’t just sprint in between the hurdles, you are going to have to have form. Maybe before I call it a day with this sport, the career that I don, maybe I will run the 110 hurdles in the SEA Games,” he added.

Pole vaulting demands a unique combination of explosive speed, technical precision, and upper-body strength, and Obiena’s background in hurdling has contributed to his refined approach on the runway. His ability to generate speed while maintaining form has been a crucial factor in his consistency on the international stage, allowing him to compete against—and often defeat—the world’s best.

Over the years, Obiena has carried the Philippine flag with pride in major global competitions, including the Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships. He has consistently delivered strong performances, bringing attention to a discipline that rarely takes center stage in Southeast Asia. His success has also inspired a new generation of Filipino athletes to pursue track and field, particularly in technical events like pole vault.

Looking ahead, Obiena has made it clear that his sights are firmly set on one final goal: an Olympic medal. The Filipino ace confirmed that the 2028 Summer Olympics will likely mark the final chapter of his Olympic journey—a fitting stage for what he hopes will be a crowning achievement in his already illustrious career.

“LA is to probably be my last Olympics I will be doing. That’s the one I’m missing from my collection. I haven’t had an Olympic medal, you know. I was close, but not close enough. I need to prepare, these last two-and-a-half years, make sure that when the time comes I’m ready, I’m fit, injury-free, and be able to compete at the highest level,” Obiena concluded.

As he enters what could be the final stretch of his competitive career, Obiena remains focused, motivated, and determined to leave a lasting legacy. Whether it’s clearing record-breaking heights or, perhaps one day, returning to his hurdling roots, EJ Obiena continues to embody excellence, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of greatness in Philippine sports.

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