The Philippines’ Ernest John Obiena competes during the indoor men’s pole vault Beijer gala event in Uppsala, Sweden, on February 9, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP)
Ernest John Obiena cleared a season-best 5.91 meters for a silver-medal feat that reset his own indoor national record in the Perche Elite Tour on Sunday in Rouen, France.
The world’s No. 5 pole vaulter wound up behind 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Chris Nilsen of the United States after the latter claimed the gold medal with a personal-best 6.05 meters.
It was the first silver medal for the 26-year-old Filipino vaulting ace since the indoor season began last month. The achievement eclipsed Obiena’s victories of 5.81m in the Orlen Cup and Orlen Copernicus Cup in Poland.
The Philippines’ Ernest John Obiena competes during the indoor men’s pole vault Beijer gala event in Uppsala, Sweden, on February 9, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP)
The current Asian record-holder aimed to hurdle 6.01m but couldn’t clear the height that will reset his own Asian outdoor record of 5.93m.
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics bronze medalist Thiago Braz of Brazil likewise cleared 5.91m and ended up third place via countback.
Obiena’s new indoor record erased his previous standard at 5.86m last year. It was just 0.01m short of shattering the existing Asian indoor record of Igor Potapovich of Kazakhstan.