By MARK REY MONTEJO
Two-time Olympian EJ Obiena is peaking at the right time for the 2026 Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya next month.
Obiena finished just 6th in the 2026 Diamond League Lausanne Leg in Switzerland on Friday, Aug. 21, but his effort of 5.81m was near his Asian Games record of 5.90m achieved three years ago in Hangzhou, China.
Fresh from a string of impressive podium finishes, Obiena, 30, cleared the 5.81m barrier on his second try, enough to boost his confidence to try 5.90m.
Though he failed, Obiena appeared content with the progress of his preparation.
Actually, he did 5.91m in winning his 8th gold of the season in Poland last Aug. 18, a feat he credited to his new training methods.
“5.81m here in Lausanne. We [will] go again to Silesia on Sunday,” Obiena wrote on his social media post.
The former world No. 2 Obiena looks forward to bettering his performance when he vies in the 13th leg of the annual global athletics joust in Silesia, Poland hosting the 13th leg on Sunday, Aug. 23.
As expected, world No. 1 Armand Duplantis of Sweden stamped his class anew on the way to setting a new meet record to 6.21 meters.
He tried to hurdle the height of 6.32m but failed on two occasions.
Finishing second was Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis (6.16) while Australian Kurtis Marschall wound up third (5.91).
World No. 1 Armand Duplantis of Sweden stamped his class anew, clearing every height on his first attempt. He then set a new meet record of 6.21 meters before making two unsuccessful attempts then retired at 6.32m, just shy of his personal best of 6.31m.
Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis (6.16) and Australian Kurtis Marschall (5.91) sealed the second and third honors, respectively.
Sondre Guttormsen of Norway settled for fourth and Christopher Nilsen of the United Stated States came in fifth.
