After clinching a breakthrough gold on February 8 at the Meeting Metz Moselle in France, Filipino Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena is on the rise again — but can he reach the top?
EJ Obiena secured his first gold of the year, clearing 5.70 meters on his first attempt at the eight-man tournament. The victory comes just over a week after he claimed silver at the International Springer-Meeting Cottbus in Germany on January 30. This strong performance follows a challenging five months for Obiena, who struggled with a fractured spine injury that limited his movement during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Yet, based on his most recent wins, it’s clear that the injury hasn’t slowed Obiena down.
However, Obiena appears to be struggling with maintaining the momentum of his comeback. Just a day after his gold win, Obiena was unable to secure any medal at the ISTAF Indoor tournament in Dusseldor, Germany on February 9. Although he successfully cleared 5.55 and 5.65 meters, Obiena was unable to clear 5.75 meters after three unsuccessful tries. The pole vault star finished in seventh place, making this the first tournament of Obiena’s 2025 indoor season where the athlete failed to make it to the podium.
This isn’t the first setback Obiena has encountered in his pole vault career. A spinal injury derailed his chances of a potential win at the Paris Olympics and contributed to his fall to No. 4 in the World Athletics Rankings. The spinal fracture caused Obiena to call a premature close to his 2024 season.
Where Obiena’s career goes from here remains uncertain. After a promising start to 2025, his recent result in Dusseldorf raises questions about his consistency moving forward. Whether he can regain his momentum or face new hurdles is yet to be seen.
