ALTHOUGH he might feel the economic pinch with his support from the Philippine Sports Commission still pending, Italy-based pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena had a financially rewarding 2021, based on his earnings in the European athletic circuit and competing in the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Partial data gathered by Malaya-Business Insight from his purses from his Euro meets and Tokyo Olympic stint showed Obiena took home at least P2.6 million during his 2021 campaign, and possibly even more.
Figures show that Obiena, who has been urged by PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez to join a mediation process to settle his issues with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, earned a total of $34,550 from 15 of the 21 meets he competed in last year. At the exchange rate of P50 to $1, this totals to P1,727,500.
This is from the $9,400 (P470,000) he earned in prizes from six meets in the European indoor tour from Jan. 29 to Feb. 17 and $25,150 (P1,270,500) from nine competitions during the Euro outdoor season from June 2 to Sept. 12.
Obiena also received P650,000 for competing in the Tokyo Olympics — P150,000 in allowances from the PSC and P500,000 in bonuses from the PSC and private sponsors.
During the Tokyo Games, he finished 11th overall out of 14 entries with a jump of 5.70 meters on Aug. 3 after finishing 10th out the 12th qualifiers, clearing 5.75 meters on July 31.
The PSC also awarded Obiena with an incentive of P250,000 for breaking his own national record with a second-place jump of 5.91 meters in the Meeting de Paris, a Wanda League stop where he also won $6,000 (P300,000) last Aug. 28 in Paris, France. In all, he netted P550,000 for the feat.
According to the PSC, Obiena was receiving a monthly stipend of P43,000 as a premier member of the national pool but has been ordered by Ramirez to complete his liquidation of funds so the PSC could continue supporting him.
Altogether, Obiena had at least P2,627,500 in cash prizes and incentives last year based on the data that Malaya-Business gathered.
Obiena also announced on July 18, 2021 that he had switched from Nike to Puma as his outfitter in an endorsement deal that usually also has a cash component, according to knowledgeable sources. He also has endorsement contracts with Ajinomoto and Volkswagen.
The meets where Obiena won cash prizes were:
Jan. 29: Indoor meeting Karlsruhe, Europhalle, Karlsruhe WA Continental Tour, fifth place, jump: 5.62, prize: $500;
Feb. 5: ISTAF Indoor Berlin, Mercedes Benz Arena, Berlin, first place jump: 5.80, prize: $3,000;
Feb. 7: PSD Bank Indoor Meeting, Helmut Kornig Halle, Dortmund, first place, jump: 5.68, prize: $3,000;
Feb. 9: Meeting Haus de France de Calais Arena Stade Couvert Levin WA Indoor Tour Gold, tied for 5th place jump: 5.60 — prize: $400
Feb. 12: Orlen Cup, Lodz Arena, Poland WA Indoor Tour Bronze, second place, jump: 5.86, prize: $1,500;
Feb. 17: Copernicus Cup, Torun, Italy WA Indoor Tour Gold, third place, jump: 5.80, prize: $1,000;
June 2: Goteborg Fridott GP, Goteborg Sweden, WA Continental Tour Bronze, first place, jump: 5.70 prize: $3,000;
June 6: FBK Games Blankers Goen Stadion, Hengelo, Netherlands WA Continental Tour Gold, second place, jump: 5.80, prize $1,500;
June 30: Irena Szewinska Memorial/Bydgoszcz Cup, Bydgoszcz, Poland WA Continental Tour Gold, second place, jump: 5.87. Prize: $3,000;
July 4: Bauhaus Galan Olympiastadion Stockholm, Sweden, Wand Diamond League leg, fourth place, jump: 5.82, prize: $2,000;
Aug. 26: Athletissima, Stade Olympic dela Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland Wanda Diamond League, fifth place, jump: 5.52, prize: $1,250;
Aug. 28: Meeting de Paris Stade Charlety, Paris, France Wanda Diamond League, second place jump: 5.91 Prize: $6,000 (Receives P250,000 for resetting national record);
Sept. 5: Lotto Silesia Memoriał Kamili Skolimoskiej Sftadion Śląski Chorzow, Poland WA Athletics Continental Tour Gold, second place, jump: 5.80, prize: $3,000;
Sep. 9: Weltklasse, Letzigrund Zurich, Switzerland Wanda Diamond League, fourth place, prize: $4,000
Sept. 12: ISTAF Olympiastadion Berlin, Germany, fourth place, jump: 5.81 Prize: $1,400.
The prize breakdowns were taken from the regulations of the World Athletics Continental and outdoor tours and of the Diamond Wanda League. No other data could be obtained on what Obiena got in some of his events.
In the Golden Roof Challenge., where he set a new Asian and national record of 5.93 meters last Sept. 11, meet organizers mentioned “performance bonuses” for outstanding feats during the meet. Ramirez announced last week the government was working on Obiena’s bonus for the Golden Roof Challenge accomplishment.
After announcing that the minor knee surgery on his right knee was successful last week, Obiena intends to resume his career by competing in the INIT Indoor meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany on Jan. 28 where he will be up against Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Armand Duplantis of Sweden.
A gold event in the WA indoor tour, the competition offers a top pot of $3,000 (P150,000) to the winner of each event, with the runner-up and third placer getting $1,500 (P75,000) and $1,000 (P50,000), respectively.
