Not even thick fog could stop EJ Obiena from soaring to victory at the Taiwan International Pole Vault Championship, held at Sun Moon Lake in Nantou on Sunday. The Filipino pole vault star kicked off his 2025 outdoor season in style, after sitting out the indoor world championships due to a lack of competitions.
On Instagram, Obiena shared a photo of the near-zero visibility conditions during his run-up. “You just disappear,” he wrote, calling the competition a real “leap of faith.” Despite the “murky” atmosphere, Obiena trusted in his faith and focus, eventually claiming the top spot in the tournament.
This isn’t the first time the Olympian has conquered tough weather. In the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, Obiena also cleared the bar—literally and figuratively—despite heavy rain and strong winds, securing his third straight gold with a 5.65-meter vault.
“We can’t always have sunny skies and perfect weather conditions,” he reflected. “This was a new kind of adversity and I definitely learned from it!”