The Obiena family now has a big reason to celebrate as EJ Obiena bagged a gold medal in the pole vault competition of 2019 SEA Games.
The patriarch of the family, Emerson Obiena, was a pole vaulter of the Philippine national team.
He was twice a silver medalist and twice a bronze winner but he never got a chance to bag the elusive gold during his stint in SEA Games.
Emerson praised his son’s perseverance saying he has finally ended the family’s struggle to bagged a gold medal in SEA Games.
“I’m happy for him kasi matagal na niyang hinahangad ito. Mailap masyado ang gold medal na yan. Ngayon nakuha na niya, sa wakas, nakuha niya. Ito yung pinakamailap na medalya sa kanya. It’s something to celebrate,” Emerson told ABS-CBN News.
He also admitted that his son has exceeded him.
“Mas magaling siya, lagpas lagpasan pa. Ang pangarap ko maging world-class ‘yung pole vaulting natin, ‘yun ang vision ng club na itinayo ko. Eh ngayon na-exceed natin eh. ‘Di lang basta world class, Olympics na. Na-exceed niya ‘yung expectation ko,” he said.
