By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Pole vaulter EJ Obiena has improved to a career-high No. 3 in the world rankings following his historic showing at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon over the weekend.
Prior to the world championships where he finished third behind world record-holder Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and Chris Nilsen of the United States, Obiena was only ranked sixth.
Obiena shattered his own PH and Asian mark of 5.93-meter by sailing over 5:94m.
He also became the first Filipino to make it to the podium.
Duplantis, also the reigning Olympic champion remains the world’s best pole vaulter and Nilsen the second, while Obiena’s training partner, 2016 Rio Olympics gold medalist Thiago Braz, slipped from third to fourth place.
Rounding up the Top 10 world’s best are American Sam Kendricks, France’s Renaud Lavillenie, United States’ KC Lighftoot, Norwegian Pal Haugen Lillefosse, Belgium’s Ben Broeders and Germany’s Bo Kanda Lita Baehre.
Obiena will compete in the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzow, Poland on Aug. 6, which is part of the prestigious Wanda Diamond League Meet, and the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix in Szekesfehervar, Hungary on Aug. 8.
