ICYMI, taking place in the Philippines this month is a World Athletics-sanctioned pole vault event called the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge, a first-of-its-kind to be held in the country. The event was a vision of Filipino pole vault star and current World No.7 EJ Obiena, who partnered with Ayala Foundation’s Atletang Ayala and the MVP Sports Foundation to make the event a reality. Details regarding the lineup and tickets have been announced, and here’s what you should know about the upcoming event:

Who will be competing in the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge?

Nine top pole vaulters from all around the world will be competing in the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge.

Ersu Sasma (Turkey)

• Current rank: No. 5
• Career best rank: No. 5
• Personal best: 5.92 meters
• Record: European Championships bronze medalist; in top 8 at Olympic Games; in top 8 at World Championships; in top 8 at World Indoor Championships
• Fun fact: He enjoys playing basketball and occasionally spending time on computer games.

Menno Vloon (Netherlands)

• Current rank: No. 6
• Career best rank: No. 6
• Personal best: 5.96 meters
• Record: European Indoor champion; in top 8 at World Championships (3x); European Team Championships winner (2x); in top 8 at European Championships
• Fun fact: He was introduced to pole vault at age 15. A back injury forced him to choose between continuing as a decathlete or dedicating himself to one event. He chose pole vault, and what began as a change in his career became his passion.

EJ Obiena (Philippines)

• Current rank: No. 7
• Career best rank: No. 2
• Personal best: 6.00 meters
• Record: World Championships silver medalist, bronze medalist; in top 8 at Olympic Games; Asian Games winner
• Fun fact: A key turning point in his career came in 2014 when he met Ukrainian pole vault champion Sergey Bubka in the Philippines. EJ, seeking only an autograph, was instead offered an opportunity to train in Italy with coach Vitaly Petrov, the same man who had coached Bubka.

Thibaut Collet (France)

• Current rank: No. 12
• Career best rank: No. 6
• Personal best: 5.95 meters
• Record: In top 8 at World Championships; in top 8 at World Indoor Championships; in top 8 at European Championships (2x); European U23 Championships bronze medalist
• Fun fact: His first-ever pole vault jump was at just three years old. His father, Philippe Collet, a former professional pole vaulter who placed 5th at the 1988 Olympic Games, and his brother, Mathieu, also a pole vaulter, served as his inspiration. Thibaut and Mathieu are coached by their father, carrying forward a strong family tradition in the sport.

Ben Broeders (Belgium)

• Current rank: No. 13
• Career best rank: No. 6
• Personal best: 5.85 meters
• Record: In top 8 at World Championships; in top 8 at World Indoor Championships (2x); European U23 champion; in top 8 at European Championships
• Fun fact: Other than being an athlete, Broaders is also an entrepreneur. In 2024, he founded his own company, BroBeans, which produces Belgian chocolate-covered espresso beans. Alongside his sporting and entrepreneurial career, he also has a master’s degree in pharmaceutical care.

Austin Miller (USA)

• Current rank: No. 14
• Career best rank: No.14
• Personal best: 5.92 meters
• Record: USA National Champion
• Fun fact: When he’s not competing, Austin works in security at a music venue in Greensboro, coaches pole vault at the Vault House and Ragsdale High School, and also coaches lacrosse at High Point University. His love for music also shines through his writing for This Song Is Sick, where he gets to mix two of his biggest passions, sports and music.

Piotr Lisek (Poland)

• Current rank: No. 15
• Career best rank: No. 2
• Personal best: 6.02 meters
• Record: World Championships silver medalist; World Championships bronze medalist (2x); World Indoor Championships bronze medalist (2x); in top 8 at Olympic Games (2x)
• Fun fact: Piotr enjoys woodworking and dabbles in other sports such as boxing, MMA, and water sports. He also manages a sports club that introduces young people to gymnastics, reflecting his commitment to nurturing future generations of athletes.

Oleg Zernikel (Germany)

• Current rank: No. 16
• Career best rank: No. 10
• Personal best: 5.87 meters
• Record: European Championships bronze medalist; in top 8 at World Championships; World U20 Championships bronze medalist; European Team Championships bronze medalist
• Fun fact: His surname, “Zernikel,” translates to “angry hedgehog.” Outside of his athletic interest, he enjoys playing the guitar and creating music. He is also currently pursuing studies in environmental sciences and engineering with a focus on microplastics.

Matt Ludwig (USA)

• Current rank: No. 23
• Career best rank: No. 15
• Personal best: 5.90 meters
• Record: Pan American Games winner; USA NCAA champion; USA National Indoor champion
• Fun fact: A passionate cook, Ludwig is eager to explore the Philippines’ local cuisine, streets, and beauty. For him, this trip is about more than competition. It’s about immersing himself in a new culture and making lasting memories.

Sources: World Athletics, Diamond League (rankings as of 2 September 2025)

Will other pole vaulters be joining?

Two other athletes in the top 10 of the World Athletics ranking will arrive in the country for the event, but their names have not yet been revealed.

How to get tickets to the event

The Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge is set to happen at the Ayala Triangle in Makati City this September 20 and 21, 2025. It’s open to the public, and tickets are FREE via a raffle. Those who wish to attend simply need to sign up through the following links for a chance to win a free seat at the event:

• September 20, 10:00 am: bit.ly/WorldPoleVaultMeetandGreet
• September 20, 1:30 pm: bit.ly/NationalPoleVaultCompetition
• September 21, 3:30 pm: bit.ly/worldpolevaultchallenge

Only one entry is allowed per person. Multiple entries from the same individual will not be accepted.

Atletang Ayala will contact the winners directly on how they can claim the tickets, along with other event reminders.

For more information about the upcoming event, visit the event’s website.

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