By REYNALD MAGALLON
EJ Obiena followed up his record-setting performance with a bronze medal finish in a star-studded field that featured some of his Olympic rivals in the Oslo Diamond League-Bislett Games in Norway early Friday, June 16 (Manila time.)
Although the 27-year-old Filipino pole vaulter failed to match his Asian record and personal best of 6 meters – a feat he achieved this season during the Bergen Jump Challenge a few days ago, Obiena did enough to land in the podium, after clearing 5.81m, and settle behind Armand Duplantis and Christopher Nielsen.
The world No. 1 and record holder Duplantis of Sweden ruled the competition in 6.01m while Nielsen of the United States cleared 5.91m to bag the silver.
Obiena actually tried to go for the 5.91m, and then later on 6.01m to in his desire to beat Duplantis but couldn’t get enough leap to clear both bars.
Still, it was still a big achievement for Obiena, who has been a picture of consistency so far in the 2023 outdoor season, finishing in the podium in all of the three competitions he participated in Europe.
He won the bronze in the 5th Irena Szewinska Memorial tournament after a 5.72m leap in Bydgoszcz, Poland last June 7. He then shattered his own national and Asian outdoor records to cop the gold in the Sparebanken Vest Bergen Jump Challenge, becoming the 28th pole vaulter, and the only Asian to clear at least 6.00m.
The series of victories should also come as a huge confidence booster for Obiena who is eyeing a return to the Olympics in Paris next year when the qualification period starts on July 1.
The standard to make it to the Paris Games is 5.82m.
