BAGUIO, Philippines — Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena with Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc opened the province’s first pole vaulting facility at the Ferdinand E. Marcos (FEM) Memorial Stadium on Nov. 22.
Seen as a step forward in transforming the Philippines into a global force in pole vaulting, the facility allows Ilocos Norte to establish grassroots development programs for young athletes.
It also emphasizes the provincial government’s commitment to promoting sports excellence and providing a competitive stage for athletes in the province to showcase and develop their talents.
Obiena is currently ranked third in World Athletics Rankings for the men’s pole vault category, narrowly missing a podium finish in the recent Paris Olympic Games.
As an advocate in promoting pole vault in the Philippines, Obiena hopes to become an inspiration to the next generation of athletes in the country.
He believes that establishing such facilities across the Philippines will lead to a larger pool of talented athletes that can represent the country on the international stage.
During the opening rites, he shared his dream of making the Philippines globally competitive and emphasized the importance of self-sustainability.
“The main reason for this is for development and really to make sure we gain global success in the sport. This is basically my way of doing it, kickstarting it, and hopefully I teach you guys how to fish medals, not just in Palarong Pambansa and Southeast Asian Games but globally,” Obiena said.
“Hopefully, we’ll get athletes from Ilocos to represent the country with pride and honor. This is only the beginning. Mark my words, I am devoted in this. I really want to see the sport grow,” he added. (A. Dumlao, Philstar)
