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0Ernest Obiena
Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
21 year old Ernest Obiena, beat a class field to take the bronze medal at the 2017 Asian Championships. Ernest Obiena leapt 5.50m to tie his seasons best in Slovakia last month. The last time the Philippines won a medal in Athletics at the Asian Championships was 8 years ago, 2009 in Guangzhou, China where Marestella Torres took the Gold in the Womens Long Jump.
Ernest Obiena finished behind Ding Bangchao, the 20 year old China man won his first Asian title in 5.65m. 17 year old Masaki Ejima of Japan took silver in 5.65m
20 year old Thai Patasphong Amsam-Ang continued his meteoric rise with 5.40m and placed 4th. Amsam-Ang who was not a 5m jumper last year, defeated SEA Games Champion Pooranot at the Thai University Games in August then recording 5.20m. Emerging as the most likely challenger for Obiena at SEA Games. The Thais now have great depth with five men leaping over 5 meters in 2017. Obiena however is the season leader in 2017 for South East Asia with 5.50m twice this year.
Obiena has a PB of 5.55m last April at the Singapore Open which is the Philippine National and SEA Record. Last SEA Games in Singapore 2015 EJ took silver behind Pooranot Poorahong of Thailand whose leap of 5.30m is the SEA Games Record.
EJ who has been training extensively in Italy under the IAAF Program, won a Euro League meet in Slovenia recently with 5.50m also. Giving him the top 2 vaults in South East Asia in 2017.
Yes. Man i know i could go toe to toe with the asia’s best. Said Obiena who is looking towards securing the SEA Games Gold medal in a few weeks in Malaysia.
Other Filipinos to compete on Day One included Marestella Torres who leapt 6.20m for fifth place. Vietnam’s Bui Thi Thu the SEA Games bronze medalist in 2015. Who won all three legs of the Asian Grand Prix continued with her fine form winning in 6.54m. Actually Bui was lucky as she fouled four of her six jumps. And won by countback over V. Neena of India, with India also third in 6.42m. SEA Games Champion Londa of Indonesia didnt not join. 36 year old Torres who was without her coach struggled to get her check mark right. She will now focus on a good performance at the 2017 SEA Games next month.
The third Filipino athlete to compete on Day 1 was Anfernee Lopena, the newly crowned National 100m Champion. Clocked 10.86 to place 4th in his heat. Lopena who was tired from travelling and had to cope with 2 false starts and nerves was well off his PB of 10.47. Lopena performance placed him 24th in terms of time. If their are 3 semis he will qualify last to the semi finals. If there are only 2 as per the womens 100m, he will not progress through in the top 16.
19 year old Khairul Jantan of Malaysia had the fastest times in the 6 heats clocking a SEA Leading 10.28, former Asian Champion Femi Ogunode of Qatar jogged through in 10.29.
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