EJ Obiena named PSA Athlete of the Year

Filipino pole vault champion EJ Obiena has been named the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year after a breakout year in 2023 that saw him shatter records.

The 28-year-old ace will be the sole recipient of the top honor for winning three gold medals in major tournaments last year as well as setting new records for the country.

Obiena bagged the gold medal in SEA Games in May before repeating the feat during the Asian Athletics Championships and Asian Games in July and September, respectively. He also joined the elite 6-meter club at the Sparebanken Vest Bergen Jump in June while he formally clinched his ticket to the Paris Olympics after a silver medal outing in the BAUHAUS-Galan Leg of the Diamond League.

Obiena will be the first track and field athlete to be given the prestigious award since 2009, when long jump ace Marestella Torres took the recognition.

Also considered for the Athlete of the Year award were Gilas Pilipinas, which ended a 61-year gold medal drought in the Asian Games as well as the Philippine national women's football team and the jiu-jitsu pair of Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez for delivering twin golds during the Asiad tourney.

But it was Obiena who got the nod after accomplishing achievements no one from the past had done.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News