EJ Obiena in the Internationales Springer-Meeting in Cottbus, Germany. –EJ OBIENA FACEBOOK
MANILA, Philippines — EJ Obiena jumpstarted his 2023 indoor season with a silver medal finish in the Internationales Springer-Meeting in Cottbus, Germany.
The Olympic pole vaulter cleared 5.77 meters, ending up as a runner-up as American Sam Kendricks ruled the tournament with 5.82m in just one attempt
Obiena tried to clear the record set by Kendricks but he didn’t make it after three tries.
Ben Broeders of Belgium placed third with 5.72m.
The 27-year-old Filipino, ranked No.3 pole vaulter in the world, needed three tries before clearing 5.50m but he easily accomplish the 5.67 and 5.77 marks in just one attempt for each.
Obiena will have another busy year with the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in May in Cambodia, Asian Games, and the World Athletics Championships aside from other tournaments.
He had a successful 2022 highlighted by a bronze medal in the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States, where he set his personal best and reset the Asian record at 5.94m, becoming the first pole vaulter from the continent to reach the podium of the world championships.
Obiena earned a total of 17 medals with 12 gold including a rare win over the World No.1 Mondo Duplantis in the Diamond League in Brussels, two silver, and three bronze medals last year.
Among the indoor tournaments where the 27-year-old Obiena could participate are the Init Indoor Meeting on Karlsruhe, Germany on Friday, the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun, Poland on Feb. 8 and the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais in Lievin, France on Feb. 15.
All of these meets have been calendared under the 2023 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold, including the World Indoor Tour Madrid on Feb. 22. –With reports from June Navarro