On the Mend - The Remarkable recovery of Ernest Obiena
January 25, 2018
Good to see the remarkable recovery of Ernest Obiena back from a terrible injury before the
2017 SEA Games in August. Which deprived him of the SEA Games Gold.
From Jim Lafferty
EJ Ernest Obiena is national champion and record holder in Pole Vault. He is ranked in top
35 in the world and top 5 aged 21 and under.
In late August, just prior to the Southeast Asia (SEA) Games in which he was a virtual Sure
Gold Medal, he brutally tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament in his knee in a freak accident
landing off balance on the pit.
ACL tears used to be career enders until reconstructive surgery. It’s still not a sure thing. No
national track athlete has ever come back.
In mid September EJ underwent surgery with Dr. Tabbarah of St. Luke’s utilizing a more
advanced bone graft/patellar tendon replacement. Carol Lafferty and I started his rehab a few
days later, starting very light and progressing gradually. With EJ’s wonderful work ethic and
discipline we have progressed steadily over the past 4 months, logging 3-4 sessions per week
including yoga and visualization exercises.
EJ’s strength it at an all-time high in key lifts like Bench Press with +20% gains. And
importantly he is back now all the way as today’s bounding drills demonstrate. Can you
believe this is someone who underwent full reconstructive surgery just 4 months ago?
EJ will start vaulting again tomorrow. Look out for this young star in Summer 2018 Asian
Games and 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Coach Carol Lafferty and I are both so proud of you EJ!
From Ernest Facebook Post
From Video credits: www.ernestobiena.com
To everyone who has been following my recovery, I am very thankful for all of your support
and encouragement. I would like to let you know that I am starting to jump and starting to
feel like myself again. I made 4.70 out of 8 steps a couple of times today and I want to try
and see what I can do but UAAP is not the meet to do it. I would like to let you know that I
would not be participating in the upcoming UAAP to be held on February 7 in Ultra, Pasig. I
wasn’t given a medical clearance to compete due to much reason but most importantly the
period of recovery. 4.5 months post-operation, competing might be the worst thing to do
while I am undergoing rehab. I am really upset to not be able to compete and contribute to
the team. Soon the time would be right to see what I could do. I hope everyone would still
watch and support our local athlete this UAAP.
Thank you and have a good day!
#recovery#polevault#uaap
For More Great News on Ernest Obiena
Please visit his official website www.ernestobiena.com
Marisa Kwiatkowksi breaks her Philippine Indoor Record in the Triple Jump
January 25, 2018
Article by Andrew Pirie
ATFS Statistician
The second of two Philippine National Indoor records fell in the first month of 2018. Fil-
Heritage Triple Jumper Marisa Kwiatkowski won the University of Washington Preview with
a leap of 12.55m on January 13. The mark surpassed the old mark she had set at the Penn
Relays last January of 12.45m.
Kwiatkowski is on an athletic scholarship at Stanford and has
held a Philippine Passport since 2014. She currently holds all 4 Philippine Records in
Women’s Triple Jump the National Record (12.68) and National Junior Record (12.63),
National Indoor (12.55) and National Junior Indoor (12.23).
Kwiatkowski is yet to represent the Philippines or compete at the Philippine National
Champs. She was invited to join the Prestigious World University Games in Taipei last year
but she begged off due to a long season. However she is still like the last 2 SEA Games a
long way from the SEA Games Bronze medal mark of 13.32m. The Philippines has never
won the Women’s Triple Jump at SEA Games. I’m not even sure if they have even won a
medal.
She also placed 5th at the same University Preview meet in 5.58m in the Long Jump, Well
off her 5.89m PB set 3 years ago.
Meanwhile Fil-Heritage Pole Vaulter Alyana Nicolas opened her season with a 3.80m Vault
at the Pole Vault Summit at Reno on January 18. Alyana who has a PB of 3.95m has held a
Filipino Passport since 2014.
Any Other Results of Filipino athletes Local or International please email
[email protected] we would love to hear from you.
PLEASE NOTE WE ARE AWARE OF OTHER FIL-HERITAGE ATHLETES. BUT WE
WILL ONLY WRITE UP ON THOSE WHO CAN PRESENT PINOYATHLETICS WITH
COPIES OF FILIPINO PASSPORTS. WE DO THIS AS TO NOT CONFUSE THE
ATHLETIC COMMUNITY OVER NATIONAL RECORDS. AND THIS IS ALSO FOR
MY REPORTS TO THE ASIAN ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION STATISTICIANS
REGARDING DATA AND ASIAN RANKINGS. IT IS A MINIMAL PREREQUISITES
THAT ATHLETES MUST OBTAIN A FILIPINO PASSPORT AS WELL AS ADHERING
TO OTHER RATIFICATION’S SUBJECT TO PATAFA WHICH FOLLOWS THE IAAF
GUIDELINES ON RECOGNISING NATIONAL RECORDS.
Kayla Richardson sets 400m National Indoor Record
Jan 22, 2018
Article by Andrew Pirie
ATFS Statistician
Kayla Richardson
Kayla Anise Richardson has established a new Philippine National Indoor Record in the
400m Dash. Richardson clocked 54.94 to place finishing 5th in Heat 1. Richardson turns 20
in a few months is competing for University of Southern California. The Record was set at
the Martin Luther King Invite in Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 20.
Richardson was the 2015 SEA Games 100m Champion at the age of 17 and took silver in the
200m. In the 2017 SEA Games she moved up to 200m but could only manage a 5th place
finish. Richardson currently holds the Philippine Junior Record in the 100m (11.65) and
400m (53.81) and Philippine Record in the 400 m outdoor (53.81) also. Kayla won a bronze
medal in 2017 as part of the Philippine Record in the 4×100 (44.81).
At a guess 54.94 is about one second difference in the outdoor so it gives Kayla an early
season 53.9 which is near her PB not bad for a first race of the season. Kayla is currently
being guided by 1992 Olympic Champion Quincy Watts.
Eric Cray wins the Asian title in 400 Hurdles in the pouring rain.
Photo Credit: Asian Athletics Association
Meanwhile Asian Champion 400 Hurdles Champion Eric Cray. Got in his first run of the
year. Cray who is 30 later this year, ran the 600 in 1:29 and 200 in 22.07. Perhaps a good
practice refresher to start off his season. Cray is coached by former Jamaican Olympic 400m
runner Davian Clarke the head coach of UTEP.
Also at the meet Fil-Heritage Pole Vaulter Marc Nicolas leapt 4.68m to start off his season.
While over in Ottawa Fil-Canadian Jonelle Halog clocked an early season 7.05.
Any Other Results of Filipino athletes Local or International please email
[email protected] we would love to hear from you.
PLEASE NOTE WE ARE AWARE OF OTHER FIL-HERITAGE ATHLETES. BUT WE
WILL ONLY WRITE UP ON THOSE WHO CAN PRESENT PINOYATHLETICS WITH
COPIES OF FILIPINO PASSPORTS. WE DO THIS AS TO NOT CONFUSE THE
ATHLETIC COMMUNITY OVER NATIONAL RECORDS. AND THIS IS ALSO FOR
MY REPORTS TO THE ASIAN ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION STATISTICIANS
REGARDING DATA AND ASIAN RANKINGS. IT IS A MINIMAL PREREQUISITES
THAT ATHLETES MUST OBTAIN A FILIPINO PASSPORT AS WELL AS ADHERING
TO OTHER RATIFICATION’S SUBJECT TO PATAFA WHICH FOLLOWS THE IAAF
GUIDELINES ON RECOGNISING NATIONAL RECORDS.
Time Trial 15.01.18, Pasig Ultra
Unofficial as Hand Timed Trial not PATAFA Sanctioned
100m Mens. 1. Clinton Kingsley Bautista (FEU) 11.0, 2. Victor Balbuena (UE) 11.1, 3.
FEU???, 4. William Galceran (FEU) 11.2
100m Boys: 1. Rodolfo Aldzona (UE) 11.2, 2. Gerard Nepomuceno (LSGH) 11.5, 3.
Christian Senora (Sakya) 11.6
5000m. 1. James Orduna (UE) (99) 15:47.00, 2. Arellano athlete
Tripe Jump: Victor Balbuena (UE) 13.70m
*Any additional results from this time trial or other results reported will be gladly
appreciated please email to [email protected]
