By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Philippines got its first qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena made the cut in a qualifying tournament in Chiara, Italy, on Wednesday (Manila time).
Clearing a height of 5.81 meters, Mr. Obiena, 23, topped the 5.80 qualifying standard for men’s pole vault to earn a spot in next year’s global sporting spectacle.
The feat also saw Mr. Obiena besting his previous personal best of 5.76-meter clearance set earlier this year in the Summer Universiade also in Italy.
The good news was shared by Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) President Philip Ella Juico.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics happens from July 24 to Aug. 20.
