EJ Obiena places last in France to end indoor season

FILE – Ernest Obiena of the Philippines competes during the Mondo Classic pole vault competition in gala format at the IFU Arena in Uppsala, Sweden, on February 2, 2023. (Photo by Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — EJ Obiena ended his indoor season with a last-place finish in the Meeting Hautes-de-France Pas-de-Calais on Thursday (Manila time) at Arena Stade Couvert de Liévin in France.

The Filipino pole vaulter placed 10th after failing to clear 5.82 meters in three tries.

Obiena only cleared 5.64 meters which even took him two attempts.

The Olympian aired his disappointment with the result.

“Well… That’s not how I wanted to end the indoor season. Only managed to jump my opening height. Hate the phrase “It is what it is” but IT IS what indeed IT IS. Bye indoor 2023 and back to work,” Obiena wrote. “Thank you everyone for your support!”

The world’s top pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis of Sweden ruled the tournament with 6.01 meters.

Claudio Stecchi of Italy earned second place by countback as he cleared 5.82 meters tied with Kurtis Marschall, Jacob Wooten, and Christopher Nilsen.

Obiena’s streak of podium finishes was snapped as he finished with a silver in the ISTAF Berlin meet by clearing 5.82m, behind Duplantis’ 6.06.

The 27-year-old Filipino, currently World No.3, still had a successful indoor season winning three golds in the Orlen Copernicus Cup, Perche En Or, and Orlen Cup.

He skipped the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Kazakhstan due to financial and logistical woes.