EJ Obiena to lead PH delegation in Paris Olympics

Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena, the world's second-ranked athlete, is set to lead the Philippine contingent at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with aspirations for a gold medal.

Obiena recently secured two victories in Poland, including a season-best of 5.97 meters at the Irena Szewinska Memorial, where he bested Greek Emmanouil Karalis and local bet Piotr Lisek.

He further demonstrated his form at the Czeslaw Cybulski Memorial in Poznan, clearing 5.87 meters to break the meet and stadium records, surpassing Lisek once more.

These performances in Poland led the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) to recognize him as the top performing Filipino athlete for June.

Obiena is among three Filipino track and field athletes bound for Paris, alongside hurdlers Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang Tolentino.

Despite a recent fourth-place finish at the Meeting de Paris, the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) remains confident in his potential.