Obiena to receive incentive for setting new marks

MANILA, Philippines — A hefty P1.5 million cash incentive awaits Filipino pole-vaulter EJ Obiena after he registered a new Asian and national record in the 17th Golden Roof Challenge in Innsbruck, Austria last Sunday.

The Philippine Sports Commission has approved in a recent board meeting the financial reward as Obiena cleared 5.93 meters to eclipse not just the national record of 5.91m he himself set in the Paris Diamond League last month but also the Asian record of 5.92m Kazakh Igor Poptapovich posted in the 1998 Paris World Indoor Championships in Paris.

Being awaited is the confirmation from the World and Asian Athletics Federations that the 25-year-old Tokyo Olympian broke the 23-year-old Asian mark.

The government agency had given Obiena P250,000 for shattering the previous national standard of 5.87m he etched in Poland last June by coming through with a 5.91m in the Paris meet late last month.

Obiena has stayed abroad to continue training for the next Olympics – 2024 Paris – after missing out a podium finish in the Tokyo Games.

So far, his sacrifice is paying off.