The two-time Olympian and current world #4 said fans can expect to see some of the world’s top-ranked athletes.
It’s always a powerful thing to witness someone turn their dreams into reality—especially when that someone has carried our nation’s colors with pride on the world stage time and time again. That someone is none other than our pole vaulting star EJ Obiena.
Last Monday, July 7, Obiena announced in an online press conference that the world pole vault event he has long been planning and preparing for is finally pushing through. Called the “Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge,” it will be held at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati from September 20 to 21.
Obiena first floated the idea of having a world-class pole vault meet in his home country shortly after the Paris Olympics last year. In the online press conference covered by The POST a few days after the Summer Games, he mentioned how he had been organizing a tournament that would be held in the Philippines. A spine injury, however, hounded him at that time, causing the event to be postponed.
Related story: The thrill and agony of watching EJ Obiena chase his Olympic dream
Related story: The beauty and brutality of EJ Obiena’s world
Serendipitously—as if it’s really meant to happen—the competition, sanctioned by World Athletics and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, is taking place exactly a year after its initial target date. Talk about fate and the power of manifesting your dreams!
“This is something that I really want to showcase the ability of the Philippines to host such an event. This is the main reason we’re aiming to get as much as of the top athletes as possible because I want to showcase that the Philippines is a country that can host such events,” the 29-year-old said. “Hopefully, this is just going to be a spark to get that engine going and maybe get more international competitions in the country.”
“It has been my lifelong dream to mount a world-class sporting event in my homeland to showcase Filipino talent and make the nation proud.,” he continued. “Now, it’s finally happening. I call on my kababayans to come together and support this once-in-a-lifetime event.”
The world’s no. 4 pole vaulter, and still Asia’s best, added that the tournament was “strategically” scheduled after the World Championships “so we can expect high-ranking athletes.” With Obiena’s meteoric rise in the world of pole vaulting, many Filipinos have also become fans of the sport once considered obscure.
Related story: The POST exclusive interview: Pole vaulter EJ Obiena poised to bring home medal from Paris Olympics
Related story: From grit to gold and glory: The year in Philippine sports
We can expect the event to be packed with his fans, who no doubt also want to see world number one Armand “Mondo” Duplantis (who’s enjoying a near flawless year), Obiena’s good friend and second ranking Emmanouil Karalis, and third-ranked Sam Kendricks, among other now-recognizable names. Being a pole vault event sanctioned by relevant bodies, competitors will earn ranking points for their performance.
The event is made possible in collaboration between Obiena, the Ayala Group’s Atletang Ayala, and MVP Sports Foundation. “Ayala is proud to partner with EJ for an event that celebrates Filipino excellence and marks the successes of our sporting heroes. Through this pole vault challenge, we hope to bring Filipinos together in encouraging sporting participation, inspiring future athletes and making us proud as a nation,” said Ayala Corporation executive director Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala in a statement.
While busy with preparations for the historic event which Obiena also considers his “baby,” the two-time Olympian has been actively competing in a string of high-level competitions. Most recently, he defended his title at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, an unprecedented third consecutive title in the event. He will next see action in the Meeting Herculis EBS, the Monaco leg of the Diamond League, on Friday, July 11 (Saturday, July 12, Philippine time).
Related story: One hundred years of fortitude
Related story: Meet Alex Eala: Filipina tennis prodigy smashing barriers
