Obiena targets ticket to Paris, PHL flag waves high in Sweden

By Josef Ramos

ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA is ready to fly and snatch a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics as the Philippine colors shared attention with the world No. 3 pole vaulter in Stockholm on Sunday.

The Philippine flag was raised for the first time at the historic 33,000-seat Stockholm Stadium in Lidingovagen and drew enthusiastic curiosity among athletes and fans attending the Diamond League series’ Bauhaus-Galan Meet.

“ Everyone’s talking about the Philippine flag flying at the historic Stockholm Stadium…it’s the first time ever,” said Jim Lafferty, Obiena’s long-time confidante. “If you want to know what EJ Obiena has done for his country and for Philippine sports, here is a powerful and tangible example.”

T he country’s colors waved proudly alongside 11 other powerhouse track and field countries, including Japan, Italy and France, at the stadium that hosted the 1912 Olympics.

“ There’s no American flag, no UK [United Kingdom] flag,” Lafferty said. “That’s what this young man [Obiena] does for his nation. He puts it on the map—showing the greatness of the Filipino for the world to see.”

JERMYN PRADO snatched two gold medals, Jonel Carcueva kept his throne and Kim Bonilla was hailed as a rising star in the recent PhilCycling National Championships for Road that was raced in what could be the most punishing and cruel road route in years.

P rado won the women’s individual time trial and criterium to remain queen of Philippine cycling—she lost the criterium gold medal going to Maura de los Reyes in the four-day championships Philippine Olympic Committee and PhilCycling president

He clocked 3:05:20 to lead a 1-2-3 finish by the Go For Gold team in the 120.85-km and 190-cyclist race presented by Standard Insurance and MVP Sports Foundation and supported by the POC, Philippine Sports Commission, supported by Chooks-to-Go and Excellent Noodles.

Rustom Lim submitted the best time of 36:21:50 in the 20-km Men Elite ITT, thus ending the reign of Mark John Lexer Galedo, who was 13 seconds slower at fifth place, while Excellent Noodles’s Ryan Tugawin dominated the Men Elite criterium to also share the spotlight.

The championships started