EJ Obiena gave his fans an experience they’ll remember for a long time, but his initiatives don’t stop here.
Since EJ Obiena landed back in the Philippines after his fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics, social media has been lovingly calling him the ‘Nation’s Boyfriend.’
It’s a title that EJ himself finds “a bit odd,” as he said with a bashful smile while onstage at his recent event, the ‘High Flying Hangout.’ But if you spent your Sunday with EJ at Ayala Malls Manila Bay alongside hundreds of his fans, you probably understand why he has been given this unique nickname.
But in case you missed it, the two-time Olympic pole vaulter hosted a meet-and-greet event on September 15, Sunday, where he invited his fellow Filipinos to immerse themselves in a pole vault exhibition, meet other talented Filipino athletes, and of course, get to know EJ himself!
When EJ opened the registration for the event, nearly 5,000 Filipinos signed up to attend, and his team selected 300 registrants to grant exclusive meet-and-greet passes. And for the lucky 300, it was definitely an event they will remember for a long time (as suggested by the joy that each of them showed after they got their chance to meet their hero onstage).
Here are some of the biggest highlights from the High Flying Hangout with EJ Obiena!
A gathering of talented athletes
EJ Obiena was very hands-on with the organization of the High Flying Hangout. As the hosts of the event, Migs Bustos and Riki Flo shared with the crowd, he was involved in every step of the planning process, and after receiving such an incredible turnout for the event, he wanted to use this platform to highlight the stories of Filipino athletes.
And so, after greeting his fans to open the event, he called on his fellow Filipino star athletes to join him onstage for an “Athlete’s Huddle.”
Together with Filipinas captain Hali Long, SEA Games Karate medalist Jamie Lim, and volleyball phenom Alyssa Valdez, EJ was able to give his fans a more intimate look into their lives as athletes, as they touched upon the challenges they have each faced in their respective sports, the realities of being Filipno athletes, and the highs of their careers.
The heartwarming discussion definitely gave the fans a deeper appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that these athletes put in, especially with the goal of representing the flag.
But the athlete lineup didn’t stop there.
With pole vault reaching a new height of popularity in the Philippines, it was as timely as ever for EJ Obiena to bring two legends in the sport to our shores: former World Record holder Sergey Bubka, who broke the men’s pole vault record 35 times and was the first athlete to reach 6.00 meters, and Vitaly Petrov, who famously coached Bubka and is now EJ’s coach.
Throughout the event, fans lined up to approach both Bubka and Petrov, asking them for photos or signatures, yet another sign of just how big pole vaulting has become in the Philippines thanks to EJ.
“It’s a great event, it’s very important to give something back from sport, to his community, to his people, to his nation,” Bubka shared with The GAME.
“To have such an event, this is also inspiration for the nation to engage in sport, to motivate the youngsters to sports, and in this case, it’s really nice to be a role model, because EJ and all the athletes who attended they spoke very well and show what it means to be a top athlete of the Philippines.”
Meeting the Nation’s Boyfriend
After the Athlete’s Huddle, it was finally time for the moment all the fans had been waiting for — their turn to meet EJ Obiena!
The lucky meet-and-greet winners lined up to take turns going up onstage to meet EJ! Some shared hugs and high-fives with the two-time Olympian, others brought fan art to show him or gifts to give him, and others even got to share inspiring and heartfelt messages with him in person. It was smiles all around, from the first person in line all the way to the last.
In addition to getting to meet EJ, fans were also given the chance to get to know him and his sport a little better, thanks to the setup at the High Flying Hangout. On the pillars on opposite ends of the Activity Center, EJ’s team put up banners that illustrated his personal record of 6.00 meters (we can attest, it is higher than it might look when we see the Filipino meeting this height on TV).
On top of this, fans also got the chance to see what it’s like to hold a pole themselves! And it was none other than EJ’s dad, Emerson Obiena, who taught the Filipino fans the right way to hold up the pole.
It was a great way for fans to gain a better understanding of the sport.
Elevating pole vaulting in the Philippines
It was truly a memorable event for the fans, for the athletes in attendance, and of course, for EJ Obiena himself. As he expressed to everyone at the High Flying Hangout, this event meant a lot to him, as he wanted to give back to the support he has been receiving from his supporters at home throughout his career.
But this event goes far beyond the festivities and activities that were held on Sunday.
As EJ revealed, this event also served as a fundraiser for his ultimate goal of making pole vaulting more accessible to Filipinos. In fact, after the event, he proudly shared with members of the media that his team has already donated three pole vault pits to the country. This is a huge step for local athletes in the sport, as EJ shared that growing up, there was only one for him to train with.
“I hope I’m able to provide this to the next generation of kids that would wanna try the sport…This sport has changed my life, truly, and I hope I’ll be able to provide this by providing a space for them to train and try the sport,” he shared.
His goal is to create a more conducive environment for more kids to try the sport. Accessibility plays a huge role in raising athletes, and the World No. 3 men’s pole vaulter wants to be a part of its development by creating more facilities.
In addition to this, he also mentioned that he aims to have coaches’ seminars to help sustain the sport in the country for a long time.
Indeed, the High Flying Hangout was not just a sign of just how far EJ has come as an athlete and the popularity pole vaulting has reached in the country. More than this, it is a stepping stone for more things to come for future generations.
Images by Excel Panlaque.