TWO-TIME Olympian EJ Obiena collected his second gold medal of the season, winning the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships held in Tianjin, China.
The 30-year-old pole vaulter cleared 5.70m to claim the top honors.
“Your boy is finally an Asian Indoor Champ. PS: This means way more than just a win for me!!! Will elaborate more on that later,” Obiena posted on his social media accounts.
He defeated Chinese bets Li Chenyang (5.60m), who placed second, and Chen Yang (5.40m), who finished third.
In fourth place was Thailand’s Patsapong Amsam-ang, his rival in the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok in December.
Obiena will head back to Germany to compete in the INIT Indoor Meeting in the city of Karlsruhe.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) lauded Obiena’s triumph.
“Never a doubt... still the best in Asia! Congratulations to Ernest John “EJ” Obiena for winning GOLD at the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships,” the association stated.
The former world No. 2 began his indoor season in Germany with a bronze medal finish at the 6th Istaf Indoor Düsseldorf, and later shared gold with Dutch jumper Menno Vloon at the International Springer-Meeting in Cottbus.
He ended 2025 with a fourth straight gold at the SEA Games in Bangkok and the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge in Makati City.