Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
FILIPINO pole vault ace Ernest John “EJ” Obiena matched his personal best of 6.0-meter (m) clearance for a silver medal finish in the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary early Sunday, August 27 (Manila time).
Obiena aced the said height, which is also the Asian record, in his second attempt and thus made history of giving the Philippines its first silver in the world meet.
Last year in Eugene, Oregon, Obiena also made a historic breakthrough, becoming the first Filipino to podium in the world meet with a bronze medal finish.
In this Budapest version of the Worlds, Obiena tried to establish a new personal high and Asian standard but failed to do so as he could not clear the 6.05-m and 6.10-m bars.
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The 27-year-old used his first attempt at 6.05 m and the last two at 6.10, which all saw him unable to execute.
Obiena started at the 5.55 m height and cleared it in one try unlike 5.75 and 5.85 where he had to use two attempts each.
The pride of Tondo went on to surpass 5.90 m and 5.95 in just one try each before having to use two at the 6.0 m height.
With this silver medal run, Obiena kept his podium streak alive this season as he has not finished outside the top three in 11 consecutive competitions now.
World No. 3 Obiena finished second to Swedish and world No.1 Armand Duplantis who defended his title by surpassing 6.10 m for another gold medal run.
Once again proving that he's in a league of his own, Duplantis even tried to surpass his 6.22-m world record but could not clear 6.23 in three tries.
Prior to that, “Mondo” needed just one attempt in all the heights — 5.55, 5.85, 5.95, 6.0, 6.05, and 6.10.
Aussie and world No. 5 Kurtis Marschall and American and world No. 2 Christopher Nilsen shared the bronze medal, with both athletes clearing 5.95 meters.
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Credit belongs to : www.manilatimes.net
