Philippines’s Ernest John Obiena competes 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 — Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena claimed a share for fifth place in the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Wednesday (Manila time) in Lievin, France.
Obiena, 25, registered 5.60 meters on his first attempt to finish in the same spot as reigning Olympic champion Thiago Braz of Brazil.
The competition saw a fancied field headlined by Swedish world record holder Mondo Duplantis.
Duplantis bagged the gold medal after clearing 5.86 meters despite only vaulting twice due to an injury.
The 21-year-old Duplantis continued his impressive winning streak which started after he won the 2019 World Championships in Doha.
Obiena’s fifth-place finish came just three days after his gold medal win in the PSD Bank Indoor Meeting in Dortmund, Germany last Sunday.