Filipino pole vaulter and Olympian Ernest John (EJ) Obiena continued his strong 2026 season with another victory in Poland.
Obiena won the Golden Sand 2026 in Międzyzdroje after clearing a season-best 5.91 metres. The result gave him his eighth tournament victory of the year.
The Filipino star finished ahead of Qatar’s Seifeldin Abdelsalam and American Cole Walsh. Abdelsalam cleared 5.75 metres for silver, while Walsh took bronze with 5.70 metres.
The victory strengthens Obiena’s bid to return to the world’s top 10. He currently sits 13th in the world rankings.
A major change of plans
Obiena has also made a major change to his training setup this year.
After training in Formia, Italy, the Filipino pole vaulter moved to Athens, Greece. He now trains alongside world No. 2 Emmanouil Karalis.
Obiena is also working with new Polish coach Marcin Szcepanski.
The move ended his 12-year partnership with Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov. Petrov played a major role in Obiena’s development and helped him become a world-renowned pole vaulter.
Obiena admitted that ending the partnership was difficult. However, he stressed that the decision was about continuing his growth rather than dissatisfaction with Petrov.
“It’s really hard. That decision was not made just because. We still talk and I call Vitaly from time to time. I love the guy, I really do.”
“He built me. He made my career. He has done so much for me and that it really is a difficult decision,” Obiena told the Manila Times.
The Filipino athlete also said he had no complaints about Petrov. Instead, he described the coaching change as a difficult step that could help him move beyond his comfort zone.
A new training environment now gives Obiena another opportunity to develop his skills. His latest victory suggests that the change has not affected his competitive form.
Looking forward to Asian Games
Obiena now has another major target on his schedule: the 2026 Asian Games.
The Filipino athlete is looking forward to competing against the continent’s best pole vaulters. He also believes his new training environment is helping him prepare for the challenge.
In an interview with GMA News, Obiena explained why he enjoys the uncertainty of elite competition.
“I’m in a way looking forward to it. There’s nothing fun when success is guaranteed, and I think that’s the beauty of every competition,” he said.
“There’s always a probability that you will lose. It gives you that extra push, extra energy, extra concentration to give your all.”
His eighth victory of 2026 gives him valuable momentum ahead of the Asian Games. More importantly, the 5.91-metre clearance shows that Obiena remains capable of competing at the highest level.
With a new coach, a different training environment and another major competition ahead, the Filipino star has plenty of motivation for the rest of the season.
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