By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Pole vaulter EJ Obiena is now battle ready for the 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games next month.
He showed his readiness for the continental showpiece after topping the Halberstadter Hohenflug – 1. Internationales Stabhochsprung-Meeting auf dem Domplatz in Germany on Friday, July 31.
The two-time Olympian cleared 5.76 meters for his third gold medal in the outdoor season, ruling the 10-player field.
Qatar’s Seifeldin Abdelsalam came in silver with 5.66m, while American Cole Walsh bagged the bronze with 5.56m.
Obiena’s triumph was a fitting follow-up to a season-best record in Meeting Madrid in Spain two weeks ago, where he posted 5.85m for the silver medal.
The world No. 14 Obiena skipped the first four heights that started at 5.01m and went straight at 5.56m, which he cleared with ease. He also passed 5.66m and cleared the winning 5.76m height on his first attempt.
He skipped 5.83m and tried 5.90m with hopes of surpassing his season-best mark, but was unsuccessful.
Prior to winning in Germany, Obiena also won Raiffeisen Austrian Open early in July, and the Czesław Cybulski Memoriał in Poland late in June.
