EJ Obiena’s rampage continues, bagging the gold in the 26th Internationales Stabhochsprungmeeting with a height of 5.81 meters, Wednesday morning (Philippine time) in Jockgrim, Germany.
The result also saw him in a second straight World Athletics Championships after meeting the standard set for the event taking place in Hungary next year.
“Great start for the second part of the season. We got the (gold medal) and we got the standard for next year’s World Champs in Hungary,” said Obiena in a Facebook post.
The University of Santo Tomas product clinched the gold after a one-time clearance at 5.81. That left out 2022 Worlds silver medalist Christopher Nilsen, Australia’s Marschall Kurtis, and Germany’s Bo Kanda Lita Baehre with 5.71. The three missed on all three attempts at Obiena’s winning height.
In the end, Nilsen collected the silver on a second-time clearance of 5.71. Meanwhile, Kurtis and Lita Baehre tied for the bronze with 5.71 as well, but both on their third tries.
Obiena earlier passed on 5.21 and 5.41 before clearing 5.61 and 5.71 in just one attempt each. The Filipino standout then attempted to raise his current national and Asian record to 5.95, but he could not clear it for now.
Obiena will take on Athletissima Lausanne next in Switzerland on Friday (Philippine time) to continue his seven-meet stretch.
