MANILA – Filipino pole vault sensation Ernest John "EJ" Obiena, in partnership with Atletang Ayala, will stage the World Pole Vault Challenge on Sept. 20 to 21 at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati City.

Participants will earn ranking points while the winner will receive a cash prize in the historic event that will gather some of the world's Top 10 athletes.

The tournament is made possible by a collaboration between the Ayala Group’s Atletang Ayala, which helps Filipino athletes compete in the global stage, the MVP Sports Foundation, and Obiena, a two-time World Championship medalist and Asian Championships winner and record-holder.

“It has been my lifelong dream to mount a world-class sporting event in my homeland to showcase Filipino talent and make the nation proud. Now, it’s finally happening. I call on my kababayans to come together and support this once-in-a-lifetime event,” said the 29-year-old Obiena in a statement Monday.

The Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge, which follows a street vaulting format, is sanctioned by the World Athletics Continental Tour-Bronze category and supported by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, World Athletics and Asian Athletics.

“Ayala is proud to partner with EJ for an event that celebrates Filipino excellence and marks the successes of our sporting heroes. Through this pole vault challenge, we hope to bring Filipinos together in encouraging sporting participation, inspiring future athletes and making us proud as a nation,” said Ayala Corporation executive director Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala.

Atletang Ayala supports national athletes by providing full-salaried employment within the Ayala Group, flexible work, access to world-class training and medical facilities, and assistance for international training and competitions.

The program is part of the Ayala Foundation’s Leadership Development pillar, where young leaders develop themselves into globally competitive leaders. (PNA)