EJ Obiena’s Pole Vault Dream Takes Flight in Makati
The skies above Makati City are set to witness a historic sporting event this weekend. On September 20 and 21, the Ayala Triangle Gardens will transform into a premier pole vaulting arena for the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge. This groundbreaking competition marks the first time an international pole vault event is being held in the Philippines, fulfilling a dream long held by Filipino pole vault star, EJ Obiena.
EJ Obiena’s Dream Realized
EJ Obiena, currently ranked No. 7 in the world and holder of the Asian pole vault record at 6.00 meters, has long aspired to bring world-class pole vaulting to his homeland. Following his participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Obiena expressed his desire to host an international pole vault competition in the Philippines. Now, with the support of Atletang Ayala and the MVP Sports Foundation, his vision has become a reality.
Atletang Ayala: World Pole Vault Challenge Will Impact Rankings
The Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge is a street vaulting competition featuring top athletes from around the world. It is the first competition of its kind to be held in the Philippines, made possible by the collaboration between Atletang Ayala, the MVP Sports Foundation, and Filipino Olympian EJ Obiena, a two-time World Championship medalist and current Asian Champion and record-holder.
The competition is officially sanctioned by the World Athletics Continental Tour-Bronze category, aligned with rigorous global standards for competition, athlete eligibility, and event organization. It is also supported by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and global athletics organizations World Athletics and Asian Athletics. Results of the competition will impact the participants’ global rankings.
World-Class Competition
The event on 21 September 2025 at Ayala Triangle in Makati will feature nine elite pole vaulters from around the globe, including:
- Ersu Şaşma (Turkey) – World No. 5, Personal Best: 5.92m
- Menno Vloon (Netherlands) – World No. 6, Personal Best: 5.96m
- Thibaut Collet (France) – World No. 12, Personal Best: 5.95m
- Ben Broeders (Belgium) – World No. 13, Personal Best: 5.85m
- Austin Miller (USA) – World No. 14, Personal Best: 5.92m
- Piotr Lisek (Poland) – World No. 15, Personal Best: 6.02m
- Oleg Zernikel (Germany) – World No. 16, Personal Best: 5.87m
- Matt Ludwig (USA) – World No. 23, Personal Best: 5.90m
The event will also be aired on RPTV and livestreamed via the Pilipinas Live App and One Sports’ YouTube channel, with catch-up airing available on One Sports, and One Sports+.
