ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA hit gold at the Jockgrim Stabhochsprung Meeting in Germany on Wednesday but missed matching his Asian men’s pole vault record with a 5.81 meters effort.
He did try to break the continental record of 5.94 meters he set in claiming a bronze at the world championships in Oregon last July but his attempt at 5.95 meters was a foul.
The 26-year-old Obiena also announced on social media that he has reached the qualification standard for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Hungary.
“Great start for the second part of the season. We got the (gold medal) and the got the standard for next year’s World Champs in Hungary,” Obiena said in a Facebook post. “Thank you, Jockgrim, for your loud (claps) and (hearts).”
The US’s Christopher Nilsen, who clinched silver at the Tokyo Olympics and in the same Oregon worlds, also settled for silver with 5.71 meters.
Australia’s Kurtis Marschall and Germany’s Bo Kanda Luta Baehre shared the bronze medal with similar 5.71 meters on their third attempts.
Ten pole vaulters competed in the event with world record holder Armand Duplantis an absentee.
“EJ’s immediate goal is to pursue in earnest the No. 2 world ranking,” Obiena’s long-time confidante Jim Lafferty told BusinessMirror. “Every competition is different—outdoors with differing weather and wind conditions. Sometimes you go for height, other times simply to win. Importantly, EJ won gold today.”
American Olen Tray Oates was fifth with 5.61 meters while Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen finished sixth with 5.41 meters.
Obiena declared his goal of becoming the world No. 2 after the outdoor season ends next month. He is currently ranked third behing Duplantis and Nilsen
Next up for Obiena is the Athletissima in Lausanne on Friday, then the True Athletics Classics in Leverkusen (Germany) on August 28, St. Wendel City Jump in Germany on August 31, Memorial Van Damme in Brussels on September 2, ISTAF Berlin on September 4 and Golden Fly in Shaan, Liechtenstein, September.
“We take it one day at a time, one meeting at a time,” Lafferty. “Next is Lausanne, one of the premier competitions in the world.”