EJ Obiena wins gold at Los Angeles Grand Prix | ABS-CBN
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EJ Obiena wins gold at Los Angeles Grand Prix
EJ Obiena wins gold at Los Angeles Grand Prix
Steve Angeles,
ABS-CBN News
Published May 19, 2024 10:07 AM PHT
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Updated May 19, 2024 10:18 AM PHT
EJ Obiena celebrates after winning the men's pole vault final athletics event during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 30, 2023. POC-PSC Media Pool/File
EJ Obiena celebrates after winning the men's pole vault final athletics event during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 30, 2023. POC-PSC Media Pool/FileLOS ANGELES — Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena has leaped into his first American win.
As the only athlete to clear the 5.8-meter mark on Saturday, Obiena took first at the USA Track and Field Los Angeles Grand Prix.
"It’s good. I think this is my first win on US soil so it’s very good. Definitely unexpected. I just wanted to make bars. I’m feeling a little bit under the weather today but sunny LA. Good stuff," he said.
Obiena faced some tough competition in the field of seven, which included American record-holder KC Lightfoot, Saudi record-holder Hussain Assem Al-Hizam, and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen.
"It shows we’re still there. We’re still building. The height doesn’t even show what I can do but I didn’t want to take a little bit more risks than necessary so I stopped as soon as I knew I won. So it’s a good sign there’s still things we need to work on. Today was more like a test," Obiena said.
Obiena has been in the US for the past six weeks preparing for the upcoming season. He will be heading to Europe in the coming weeks for more competitions, using it as a chance to get ready for the 2024 Olympic Games.
LOS ANGELES — Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena has leaped into his first American win.
As the only athlete to clear the 5.8-meter mark on Saturday, Obiena took first at the USA Track and Field Los Angeles Grand Prix.
"It’s good. I think this is my first win on US soil so it’s very good. Definitely unexpected. I just wanted to make bars. I’m feeling a little bit under the weather today but sunny LA. Good stuff," he said.
Obiena faced some tough competition in the field of seven, which included American record-holder KC Lightfoot, Saudi record-holder Hussain Assem Al-Hizam, and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen.
"It shows we’re still there. We’re still building. The height doesn’t even show what I can do but I didn’t want to take a little bit more risks than necessary so I stopped as soon as I knew I won. So it’s a good sign there’s still things we need to work on. Today was more like a test," Obiena said.
Obiena has been in the US for the past six weeks preparing for the upcoming season. He will be heading to Europe in the coming weeks for more competitions, using it as a chance to get ready for the 2024 Olympic Games.
As the only athlete to clear the 5.8-meter mark on Saturday, Obiena took first at the USA Track and Field Los Angeles Grand Prix.
"It’s good. I think this is my first win on US soil so it’s very good. Definitely unexpected. I just wanted to make bars. I’m feeling a little bit under the weather today but sunny LA. Good stuff," he said.
Obiena faced some tough competition in the field of seven, which included American record-holder KC Lightfoot, Saudi record-holder Hussain Assem Al-Hizam, and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen.
"It shows we’re still there. We’re still building. The height doesn’t even show what I can do but I didn’t want to take a little bit more risks than necessary so I stopped as soon as I knew I won. So it’s a good sign there’s still things we need to work on. Today was more like a test," Obiena said.
Obiena has been in the US for the past six weeks preparing for the upcoming season. He will be heading to Europe in the coming weeks for more competitions, using it as a chance to get ready for the 2024 Olympic Games.
"It’s exciting but at the same time if I’m already there I’d say good but job not done like still quite a bit of things I need to work on and accomplish," he said.
"It’s exciting but at the same time if I’m already there I’d say good but job not done like still quite a bit of things I need to work on and accomplish," he said.
READ: EJ Obiena bags first win of 2024 season
Over on the track side of the Grand Prix, Duke University graduate Lauren Hoffman finished in 5th place in the women’s 400-meter hurdle with a time of 55.84.
The Virginia-born Filipino American is currently in the running to represent the Philippines at the Olympic Games and has recently returned from the Philippine National Championships.
READ: EJ Obiena bags first win of 2024 season
Over on the track side of the Grand Prix, Duke University graduate Lauren Hoffman finished in 5th place in the women’s 400-meter hurdle with a time of 55.84.
The Virginia-born Filipino American is currently in the running to represent the Philippines at the Olympic Games and has recently returned from the Philippine National Championships.
Over on the track side of the Grand Prix, Duke University graduate Lauren Hoffman finished in 5th place in the women’s 400-meter hurdle with a time of 55.84.
The Virginia-born Filipino American is currently in the running to represent the Philippines at the Olympic Games and has recently returned from the Philippine National Championships.
She’s currently in the top 40 in world rankings, which would give her an Olympic berth.
"For EJ and I to be the only Philippine athletes her, it’s really special and I hope more Philippine athletes get to qualify for higher level events everybody did really well at the Philippine national champions recently a lot of good performances. Philippine athletics is on the way up," she said.
For both athletes, nothing has made them more proud than to see a few Filipinos and flags in the stands as they took their completions.
As more Philippine athletes compete on the global stage their confidence is only expected to grow bigger, recall as the 2024 Olympic games draw closer.
She’s currently in the top 40 in world rankings, which would give her an Olympic berth.
"For EJ and I to be the only Philippine athletes her, it’s really special and I hope more Philippine athletes get to qualify for higher level events everybody did really well at the Philippine national champions recently a lot of good performances. Philippine athletics is on the way up," she said.
For both athletes, nothing has made them more proud than to see a few Filipinos and flags in the stands as they took their completions.
As more Philippine athletes compete on the global stage their confidence is only expected to grow bigger, recall as the 2024 Olympic games draw closer.
"For EJ and I to be the only Philippine athletes her, it’s really special and I hope more Philippine athletes get to qualify for higher level events everybody did really well at the Philippine national champions recently a lot of good performances. Philippine athletics is on the way up," she said.
For both athletes, nothing has made them more proud than to see a few Filipinos and flags in the stands as they took their completions.
As more Philippine athletes compete on the global stage their confidence is only expected to grow bigger, recall as the 2024 Olympic games draw closer.
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