EJ Obiena targets SEA Video games, however keen to offer method to different Filipino pole vaulters

Reigning three-time SEA Video games champion EJ Obiena hopes to see ‘subsequent guys’ like Hokett delos Santos and Elijah Cole step up for the Philippines within the biennial showpiece and have the chance of profitable the gold medal

MANILA, Philippines – EJ Obiena nonetheless plans on defending his crown within the Southeast Asian Video games, however he wouldn’t get in the best way if one other Filipino pole vaulter is able to getting the job completed.

Obiena hopes to see “subsequent guys” like Hokett delos Santos and Elijah Cole step up for the Philippines within the biennial showpiece to be hosted by Thailand in December and have the chance of profitable the gold medal.

“Proper now, it’s on the calendar, it’s on my plan. But when Hokett can win it, and Elijah, I might like to have them actually battle it out and have the expertise of profitable the Southeast Asian Video games,” mentioned Obiena after profitable the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Problem on Sunday, September 21.

“However we’ll see how the season’s going. Hokett is in a fine condition, Elijah is in fine condition. We’ll see.” 

Obiena dominated the final three SEA Video games with hardly any resistance, shattering the report in every of these editions, along with his present mark standing at 5.65 meters.

And in these three SEA Video games, no different pole vaulter breached 5.20m — a indisputable fact that bodes effectively for Delos Santos and Cole.

Delos Santos’ private greatest is 5.15m, though he mentioned he has cleared 5.20m in coaching, whereas Cole has a private better of 5.41m.

“We wish to win, we’d like medals, we wish to compete. However on the similar time, I’m not endlessly going to be right here, guys. I’m not the oldest, I’m there, however we’d like the following guys to step up,” mentioned Obiena.

“I do hope come the time and the season, they’re going to be prepared. And in the event that they’re prepared, if we’re going to win the gold, why ought to I take that have from them? I believe it’s a waste. I might need the following technology to step up and actually have a steady world-class pole vaulters for the nation.”

Delos Santos obtained the expertise of a lifetime as he competed with Obiena and different elite pole vaulters within the World Pole Vault Problem, incomes a wild card berth following his victory within the Nationwide Pole Vault Competitors on Saturday, September 20.

Though Delos Santos completed with no mark as he did not clear the opening top of 4.90m, Obiena mentioned participating within the meet sanctioned by World Athletics advantages the UST standout in the long term.

“The explanation why we put Hokett on the stage immediately, nerves and all, is to get him the expertise of competing with one of the best of one of the best, with the strain on his shoulder to ship,” mentioned Obiena.

“SEA Video games is one other stepping stone for these guys. I don’t wish to take a slot from them if they’ll win it and I do consider in them. I do know the strain that’s going to be coming. I’ve seen Hokett do it below strain, I do know Eli’s coaching for it.”

Cole and Delos Santos are not any stranger to the SEA Video games as they took turns representing the nation within the final two editions.

Delos Santos gained silver behind Obiena in 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam, whereas Cole competed in 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. – Rappler.com