EJ Obiena bags bronze in Poland

FILE – EJ Obiena. Photo by Marianne Bermudez/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena continued his torrid campaign this year with another podium finish.

Obiena bagged the bronze medal early Saturday morning (Manila time) in the 2020 Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland.

“5th podium finish in 7 competitions this season (however 1 was cancelled due to heavy rains), placing third place at the Poznań Athletics Grand Prix 2020. Happy but realizing that I need to work harder. See you in the next competitions!” Obiena wrote on Facebook.

The 24-year-old rising star cleared 5.52 meters in his second attempt to settle for a tie with Matt Ludwig of the United States in third place.

Obiena, the first Filipino to book a ticket to next year’s Tokyo Olympics, is coming off his first gold medal win just three days ago in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Hometown bets Piotr Lisek and Robert Sobera won the gold and silver, respectively.

Lisek ruled the event after hurdling 5.72 meters. Sobera also reached 5.52 but he cleared the mark in just his first attempt.