CEBU CITY, Philippines—Filipino pole vault star Ernest John “EJ” Obiena bagged the gold medal in the 26th Internationales Stabhochsprung-Meeting in Jockgrim, Germany on August 23, 2022 (August 24, 2022, Manila Time).
Obiena, the world’s No. 3 pole vaulter cleared 5.81 meters to bag the gold medal among 11 competitors, including Christopher Nilsen, who settled for a silver medal.
Nielsen cleared a total of 5.71m, while Australian Kurtis Marschall earned a bronze medal for also clearing 5.71m.
The rest of the results were Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (5.71), Olen Tray Oates (5.61), Sondre Guttormsen (5.41), Simon Guttormsen (5.41), Lamin Krubally (5.41), Oleg Zernikel (5.41), and Matt Ludwig (5.21).
Aside from the gold medal, Obiena’s win allowed him to qualify for Hungary’s 2023 World Athletics Championships.
In his post, Obiena said that the Internationales Stabhochsprung-Meeting is one of the first European meet he competed way back in 2016.
Most recently, Obiena was officially reinstated to the national team after being endorsed by the Philippine Athletic Track and Field Association (PATAFA).
The reinstatement of the 26-year-old Obiena was recommended by the PATAFA board in a voting.
It can be recalled that Obiena was ousted from the national team due to his rift with ex-PATAFA president Philip Ella Juico.
/bmjo
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