After his struggles in his most recent meet, EJ Obiena bounced back big time in Rome.
The reigning Asian Champion, who is bound for the Tokyo Olympics, produced a massive 5.80-meter vault en route to the bronze at the 2020 Rome Wanda Diamond League in the Stadio Olimpico, Friday morning (Manila time).
Obiena breezed through his attempts at 5.45 and 5.60 meters, taking both in just one go, to set the tone for his later clearances.
The 24-year-old then needed to clear 5.70 on his second attempt, before taking on his new season-best at 5.80 after three tries.
The three medalists from the Monaco leg of the Diamond League series then battled for this leg’s medals. Obiena, alongside Belgium’s Ben Broeders and Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, was left tackling 5.85 meters.
In the end, Obiena missed on his third and final attempt at a potential new personal best and Philippine record. Still, he came up with another podium finish and another bronze in a Diamond League meet.
Broeders once more bagged another silver after registering 5.80 in his second try.
Duplantis, on the other hand, eventually got himself another title after a world-leading 6.15 vault, just 0.03 meters shy of his own current world record. Nonetheless, this new meet record became the highest-ever outdoor vault.
