MANILA — The Philippines bagged its second gold medal in the Summer Universiade after Ernest John Obiena topped the men’s pole vault event in the 30th edition of the Games in Napoli, Italy recently.
The 23-year-old Obiena, a product of Chiang Kai Shek College and the University of Santo Tomas, and Torben Blech of Germany submitted identical 5.76 meters but the Filipino won on countback. Ben Broeders of Belgium placed third with 5.51 meters.
Obiena’s performance was a record-breaking one as he erased his previous national mark of 5.71 meters set during the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar last April.
Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP) president Angel Ngu; chairman Alvin Tai Lian; honorary president David Ong; and Robert Milton Calo, who chaired the Napoli Universiade preparation committee, congratulated Obiena for bringing honor to the country.
