IMUS. — After easily jumping 5.55 and 5:70 meters at the rain-soaked Vermosa Sports Hub oval here in succession late Tuesday night, pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena asked his longtime coach, Ukrainian VitalyPetrov, if he wanted him to take one more try at a higher height.
Petrov, who also trained compatriot and former Olympic and world champion Sergey Bubka, urged Obiena to go higher, wagering that if the pole vaulter completed the jump, he would treat everybody present to dinner.
The coach’s prized pupil gamely met the dare, rising to the occasion to jump a crystal clear outdoor season best of 5.80 meters to top the 1st Patafa Pole Vault Challenge in the prolonged meet that was supposed to start at 4 p.m. but was twice delayed by rain and finished four hours later.
In a demanding event where progress is measured by minute increments, Obiena’s latest jump is already a huge improvement of 15 centimeters – 5.906 inches or nearly a half-foot – in just 10 days since he cleared 5.65 meters and placing seventh in the Xiamen, China leg of the Wanda Diamond League last April 26.
Patafa secretary general Jasper Tanhueco confirmed that Obiena’s jump was his best so far in the outdoor season and the results would be forwarded to World Athletics.
Taiwan’s Wu Yan-han cleared 5.15 meters on his first attempt to bag the silver medal, relegating national team member Hokettdelos Santos, who tied his personal best of 5.15, for the bronze in the meet organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.
Fil-Am Eli Cole, who ruled the men’s pole vault in the just-concluded ICTSI Philippines Athletics Championships in Capas, Tarlac, with a jump of 5.25 meters, Tarlac, had problems with his pole grip with the intermittent rain and wound up in a tie for fifth place with Taiwanese Huang Cheng-chi (4.95).
In the women’s division, Filam Sports’ Amy Christensen jumped 3.80 meters to upset ICTSI Philippines Athletics Championships gold medalist Alyana Nicolas, who settled for the silver (3.60), while Jessa Marie Libres (3.50) copped the bronze.
“It’s good that I am finally getting the hang of it. I am aiming to get my consistency again. I’m starting to feel healthy again and use that to improve as I go back to my original technique,” said Obiena, who revealed that he was bothered by back spasms virtually all year long in 2024.
“The spasms stick around from time to time but no longer bother me as before,” added Obiena, who was saddened that the afternoon rainy weather dampened the atmosphere and discouraged potential fans from going to the Ayala-owned facility and watching the meet for free.
He added that this was why he was also moved to play “because I did not want to disappoint the people who came to see me jump. We want to do this again and get to host these guys better. At least, Hokett was able to tie his personal best. This is actually a good place to jump in fair weather.
“Hopefully, we can organize something better when we host a similar event because we want to seriously open opportunities for others who are interested in taking up the sport.”
