EJ Obiena finally took to the field, finishing fourth with 5.70 meters in the 2022 ISTAF Indoor competition, Saturday morning (Philippine time) at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
The reigning Asian champion finally got to test his mettle in a competition. He barely missed on his final attempt at 5.81 meters to settle for 5.70, which he had no problems with clearing.
With several issues hounding his training, Obiena was just glad that he finally got to compete. He said, “I am happy still. I cherish every moment I am able to compete and have fun. Three weeks ago I did not know whether I could compete.
“In my last three attempts, I was close, but I did not really have the training that I should have been doing. I am not where I wanted to be. I will take what I can take, I enjoy what I can do. And I cherish every moment.”
The current Asian outdoors record holder ended in fourth place ahead of Germany’s own Bo Kanda Lita Baehre and Poland’s Piotr Lisek on countback. On the other hand, American KC Lightfoot survived the same exit after taking down 5.81.
Lightfoot then almost denied Olympic champion Armand Duplantis his winning streak that dates back to 2018 with a new season-best 5.92 meters. Nonetheless, the Swedish star eventually cleared the said height.
Duplantis also set a new meet record and new world-leading mark of 6.03 minutes after for the win.
The American thus ended in second place, while hometown bet Oleg Zernikel took third place with a new season’s best of 5.81.
Obiena will compete next in the International Pole Vault Invitational on February 9 in Uppsala, Sweden.
