Obiena sets PH indoor record in first tournament of 2021

FILE – Philippines’s Ernest John Obiena compete in the men’s Pole Vault during the IAAF Diamond League competition on September 17, 2020 at the Olympic stadium in Rome. (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Tokyo Olympics-bound EJ Obiena had a solid start to his 2021 campaign with a record performance in the Karlsruhe World Indoor Tour Meeting Saturday at Europahalle in Karlsruhe, Germany.

The Filipino pole vaulter set a new Philippine indoor mark after clearing 5.62 meters to finish fifth in the competition.

His previous high was 5.43m, a mark he cleared in the 18th International Pole Vault Meeting in Potsdam

Obiena, who stands at 6-foot-2, tallied marks of 5.32m, 5.47m, and 5.62m in his first three jumps but could not clear 5.72m in his final one.

France’s Renault Lavillenie, a gold medalist in the 2016 Rio Olympics and a silver winner in the 2012 London Games, topped the Karlsruhe event clearing 5.95m.

The United States’ Matt Ludwig claimed the silver medal after clearing 5.80m while fellow American Cole Walsh captured the bronze with a 5.72m jump.

Torben Blech of Germany finished ahead of Obiena at 5.72m.