By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
EJ Obiena seemed to be on track at reaching the qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Olympics after clearing 5.90 meters for a bronze medal finish in the 62nd Ostrava Golden Spike at the Mestsky Stadion in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Tuesday, June 27 (early Wednesday in Manila).
The world No.3 pole vaulter actually bettered the 5.82m standard just days before the formal start of the Olympic qualification period which will begin on July 1.
Obiena cleared 5.90m on his second attempt for the podium, settling behind world No. 1 Mondo Duplantis and Australian Kurtis Marschall.
Obiena and Marschall actually finished with identical marks but the Filipino bet went home with the bronze via countback. Both Obiena and Marschall attempted 6.00m but were unsuccessful.
Duplantis continued to dominate the field and bagged the gold medal with a new meet record of 6.12m.
This was the fourth podium finish for Obiena this month.
The tournament also serves as a springboard for the Southeast Asian Games champion as his next tournament – the Bauhaus-Galan Wanda Diamond League on July 2 in Stockholm, Sweden offers athletes a chance to earn berths to the Paris Games.
