By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
EJ Obiena opened his indoor season with a bronze-medal finishat the ISTAF Dusseldorf at the PSD Bank Dome in Germany on Sunday, Jan. 25 (Philippine time).
The two-time Olympian pole vaulter cleared the bar at 5.65 meters to finish third behind eventual local bet Menno Vloon and American Sam Kendricks.
Vloon, a 31-year-old Dutch Olympian, captured the gold medal with 5.75m, while Kendricks, another Olympian, clinched the silver with a season-best 5.70m.
Obiena passed the 5.30m starting height and went on to clear 5.45m with ease. He needed two attempts to clear 5.55m and 5.65m.
The Tondo native attempted 5.70m – his gold medal effort in last year’s SEA Games, but was unsuccessful.
Obiena
“Indoor season officially started. Came away with a (bronze) here,” Obiena posted on social media moments after the event.
The pole vault icon owns personal and Asian record of 6.0 meters, becoming the Filipino to join the elite 6.0m club. He did it twice – in 2023 during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest and Bergen, Norway.
