TWO-TIME Olympian Ernest John Obiena will take on the world’s best as he returns to competition at the Diamond League’s Xiamen leg on April 26 in Xiamen, China.
Obiena last saw action at the Taiwan International Pole Vault Championships, where he clinched the gold medal despite challenging weather conditions. Competing under a thick fog at Sun Moon Lake, he cleared 5.50 meters on his third attempt to take the top spot on the podium.
Now, his focus shifts to the prestigious Diamond League, which spans 15 legs throughout the season and features many of the world’s elite athletes.
Obiena is leaving no stone unturned in his preparation, training rigorously under the Philippine heat to reach peak form.
“Preparations and training have been done in the heat of the Philippines,” Obiena shared in a recent social media update.
The Xiamen leg promises intense competition, with a stacked 11-man field led by Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, the reigning Olympic and world champion, who holds the world record of 6.27 meters.
Obiena will also face off against other top contenders, including Tokyo silver and bronze medalists Sam Kendricks of the U.S. and Emmanouil Karalis of Greece, ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the world, respectively.
Also in the mix are world No. 6 Kurtis Marschall (Australia), No. 8 Sondre Guttormsen (Norway), No. 9 Ben Broeders (Belgium), and No. 10 Menno Vloon (Netherlands).
Obiena heads into the competition after completing a three-week training camp at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Cavite, under the guidance of his world-renowned coach Vitaly Petrov.
