EJ Obiena was pushed to the limit, but the Filipino star got the job done in the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Obiena won a fourth SEA Games gold medal on Tuesday, December 16, ruling the pole vault event at the Suphachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The two-time Olympian cleared 5.70 meters in his first attempt — setting a new SEA Games record in the process.

But he was given all he could handle by Thailand’s Patsapong Amsam-ang, who cleared the same mark in his third attempt to stay in contention for the gold medal.

Both Obiena and Amsam-ang missed their tries at 5.75 meters, however, giving the Filipino the victory via countback.

Another Filipino athlete, Elijah Cole, completed the podium after clearing 5.20-m.

Obiena had skipped the first four heights before clearing at 5.35-m. He needed two tries at 5.45-m, then cleared 5.55-m, 5.65-m and 5.70-m in his first attempts.

Amsam-ang was flawless in his first five jumps before faltering twice at 5.70-m — giving Obiena the breathing room he needed.

Cole, meanwhile, needed three attempts to clear 5.20-m before faltering at 5.35-m.

The new mark of 5.70-m improved upon Obiena’s old standard of 5.65-m, set during the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia. (ABS-CBN News)