By MARK REY MONTEJO
Two-time Olympian EJ Obiena continued to struggle in his Europe campaign, finishing dead last in the men’s pole vault event of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway Friday, June 13 (Philippine time).
After deliberately skipping the 5.40 meters barrier, the 29-year-old Obiena tried to hurdle the 5.62-m height, a move that surprised some in the 10-man field which was bannered by tournament’s four-time titlist Armand Duplantis of Sweden.
But to his disappointment, his ploy to gain a psychological advantage did not work out for him, and somehow backfired.
He failed not only once, but thrice, thus he was given a ‘no mark.’
“For everyone confused on the result, [I No Heighted]… This is sport sometimes…,” wrote Obiena on his social media story as many were perplexed about his performance.
World-record holder and two-time Olympic champion Duplantis soared to another record-shattering performance of 6.15 meters to win the gold medal.
Greek Emmanouil Karalis (5.82m) and Australian Kurtis Marschall (5.72m) finished second and third, respectively.
Despite his ‘no mark’ effort, Obiena remains positive he can put his nightmarish show behind and do well in in Stockholm, Sweden this weekend.
Last Monday, June 9, the reigning Asian Games king leapt 5.66m to end up as fifth placer in the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo, Netherlands – more than a week after Obiena bagged his third straight gold in the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.
On the Dutch soil, Americans Christopher Nilsen (5.82m), KC Lightfoot (5.74m), and Keaton Daniel (5.66m) completed the podium.
