MANILA – Ernest John Obiena, the Filipino pole vaulter ranked world No. 2, clinched the men’s elite gold medal at the Memorial Josip Gasparac in Osijek, Croatia, part of the World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze category, on Tuesday.
Obiena set the bar high with a 5.83-meter vault on his first attempt, surpassing Pedro Buarto of Portugal (5.73m) and Olen Tray Oates of the United States (5.61m).
Despite three attempts at 5.93m, Obiena was unable to clear the height, but he had earlier effortlessly cleared 5.51m and made two attempts at 5.73m.
Buarto managed to secure his best performance with two attempts, falling short at 5.83m in three tries.
Oates, after a successful 5.41m vault on his second attempt, cleared 5.61m in one try but struggled with three unsuccessful attempts at 5.73m.
Obiena’s victory in Croatia adds to his impressive achievements, including his qualification for the Paris Olympics, marking his second appearance after the 2020 Tokyo Games, where he reached the final but did not secure a podium finish.
Last year, Obiena joined the exclusive six-meter club at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway, setting new Asian and national records by surpassing his own 5.94m mark, which he had set in winning the bronze medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championship. (With reports from PNA)
