TALK of starting 2024 right, and the 75-year-old Philippine Sportswriters Association just made the right move which will certainly lead to an explosion of joy in the country’s vibrant sporting scene.
![Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena [PR photo release]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/EJ-Obiena-scaled-e1697867914539-400x200.jpg)
World-ranked #2 pole vaulter EJ Obiena launched his fundraising initiative, “Katapulting an Athlete’s Dream,” to help Filipino pole vaulters by creating pole vault training pits across the country.
![EJ Obiena of the Philippines [PSC-POC photo]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/383995172_2380907275423196_5353689433457495158_n-400x200.jpg)
Obiena captured the pole vault gold with his record leap of 5.75 meters, which he further smashed at 5.9. He tried to break his own 6.0 meters by setting the bar to 6.02 as a gift to his coach Vitaly Petrov, but couldn’t pull it off in three tries.
![EJ Obiena of the Philippines [PSC-POC photo]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/382585395_1758335467971268_3463136070206552599_n-400x200.jpg)
Barring any unforeseen circumstance, Asia’s best pole vaulter and Filipino superstar Ernest John Obiena is expected to deliver the Philippines’ first gold medal in the 19th Asian Games on Saturday, September 30.
![Long jumper Janry Ubas of the Philippines [photo credit; Janry Ubas Facebook]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/379987471_132412759951940_4949429095987128023_n-e1695561132192-400x200.jpg)
The Philippine Athletics’ team tasked to end a three-decade medal drought in the Asian Games is expected to arrive in Hangzhou, China in three batches, led by Southeast Asian Games’ long jump champion Janry Ubas and company on Tuesday.
![PSC sendoff [photo from PSC Facebook]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/378406646_698150242348189_3731816191018678519_n-400x200.jpg)
Almost 500 athletes representing Team Philippines in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8 and the 4th Asian Para Games from October 22 to 28, are expected to turn up for the sendoff ceremony on Monday, September 18, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Reception Hall in Pasay City.
![Team Philippines [PNVF photo]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AVC-Viet-vs-Phi12-400x200.jpg)
I salute the Alyssa Valdez-less Creamline for its gallant stand in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup. And I can’t blame the growing number of fans for admiring the new breed of Philippine volleyball superstars. The Pinay spikers eventually finished 6th, trumpeted by spin doctors as the best finish by the country in the tournament.
Presently, our fellow Filipinos need help. And while, you’re not doing bad things, it’s very un-Christian not to do good things to the needy when you have the power and resources at your disposal.
To escape boredom while “imprisoned” in my room as part of health protocols, I continued to digest the latest happenings in the sports scene here and abroad.
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) on Tuesday (Nov. 23) expressed deep regret over Ernest John “EJ” Obiena’s predicament in his federation and vowed to investigate the flaming issue that has put the Olympian pole vaulter in an ugly situation.