Back to the drawing board for Team EJ Obiena.
Obiena missed 5.71 meters in his three tries, settling for a 5.61 finish to end in 10th place during the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais, Friday morning (Philippine time) at the Arena Stade Couvert in Lievin, France.
The highest-ranking Asian pole vaulter cleared 5.70 meters with ease in all of his first three indoor meets this year and even cleared 5.71 in his winning run in Lodz, Poland just last February 11.
Obiena was good in his approach in the third and final attempt but got slime problems in the way to clear the bar to eventually take it with him on the landing.
The world no. 5 also needed to make his final mark of 5.61 in his third and final attempt after comfortably taking on 5.51.
USA’s Chris Nilsen registered his first win of the season with a 5.91-meter jump ahead of Thiago Braz of Brazil who cleared 5.81. Netherland’s Menno Vloon finished in third also with 5.81 but on his third attempt, whereas Braz took it on just one.
Obiena will look to regain momentum in his last meet for the month when he travels back to Poland to compete in the Orlen Copernicus Cup.
