Asia’s top pole vaulter EJ Obiena needs your help.
The Filipino Olympian on Friday, September 20, said that they are looking for “the best locations all over Philippines” to place pole landing pits for his “Six Meter Initiative.”
Earlier this month, the athlete bared that he wanted to introduce the sport of pole vaulting to more Filipinos at the grassroots level as his way of giving back, calling it a sport that has given him “a lot.”
It is also his way of sharing his knowledge with those who want to follow in his footsteps.
This is the “Six Meter Initiative,” a collaboration with energy drink Milo, which aims to introduce pole vault clinics at the grassroots level.
“My vision is hopefully getting more pole vaulters, a bigger talent pool, therefore more possibilities of getting the next generation of talent,” he told The Varsitarian, the official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas, on September 12.
“Hopefully, we’ll get our own Mondo Duplantis and another Carlos Yulo,” EJ added, citing the world’s top-ranked pole vaulter and the Philippines’ first two-time Olympic gold medalist.
“A kid in the corner of Visayas would not be able to be a pole vaulter without the pole, without the pit, without the place,” the pole vaulter said before.
“My short-term vision is to make sure that all the athletes who want to try pole vaulting have the facility to try it and get the knowledge that they deserve,” he added.
Now, EJ said they have raised enough funds to build three facilities for his “Six Meter Initiative.”
“I want to collectively thank all for your support of pole vaulting. To build a next generation of world-class vaulters, all we need is talent, dedication, and FACILITIES,” he said on social media.
“We have talent and we have dedication. We just lack enough facilities,” the pole vaulter added.
“Well, we raised enough for not one, not two, but THREE new facilities! It’s incredible. And it’s just a start of my ‘6 [six] meter initiative.’ To make sure I am only the first in a long line of Filipino 6 [six] meter vaulters!!!” EJ continued.
The “six meters” in the pole vault is one of the most elusive barriers in elite athletics in which only more than 20 pole vaulters globally have achieved clearing such a mark.
EJ joined the “Six Meter” club in 2023, when he became the first Filipino and Asian to surpass the six-meter barrier at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway.
The elite “Six Meter” club includes names like Sergey Bubka, Thiago Braz, Sam Kendricks and Mondo Duplantis.
Meanwhile, EJ said that they are now looking for the “best” places in the country to strategically put the “new landing pits” for his “Six Meter Initiative.”
Those who have ideas may send a message to the following email address: [email protected]
We are now searching for the best locations all over Philippines to strategically position these new landing pits.
If you have any ideas or location please email
[email protected]— EJ Obiena (@ejobienapv) September 22, 2024
Pole landing pits are designed to cushion the impact when pole vaulters land after clearing the bar during a vault.
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which the athlete vaults over a long horizontal bar, launching themselves into the air and seeking to clear the greatest height without knocking the bar to the ground.
EJ is currently in the “last few days” of his stay in the Philippines.
He treated his supporters to a meet-and-greet in Parañaque City on September 15.
The pole vaulter is focusing on recovery after announcing an early end to his 2024 campaign following a fractured spine that he has been enduring before the Paris Olympics.
READ: ‘Bounce back!’: Support pours in for EJ Obiena after ending 2024 campaign
EJ is setting his sights on preparing for the indoor season early next year.
