EJ Obiena pocketed his first gold of the year in record-breaking fashion.
The UST product registered a new personal best and new Philippine indoor record at 5.80 meters in the second leg of the ISTAF Indoor meet held in the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin, Germany, Saturday morning (Philippine time).
After his fifth place in his first tournament of the year, the 25-year-old pole vaulter took care of business this time around.
Obiena, who stood in third place after 5.72 meters, cleared the winning height at his lone attempt to take the lead. On the other hand, Germany’s Torben Blech needed an extra go to take the said height.
The other German Oleg Zernikel settled for bronze after missing on 5.80 in all his three attempts.
Both Obiena and Blech attempted to clear the bar with an additional 0.07 meters, but both eventually failed. Nonetheless, they maintained their spots with the Filipino taking the gold and the German, the silver.
The gold-winning height is 0.01 lower than the standing Philippine outdoor record, also set by Obiena when he won the title in the Salto Con L’asta tournament in Chiari, Italy in September 2019.
