A GOLD medal slipped Ernest John “EJ” Obiena at the ISTAF Berlin on Monday in Germany with the world No. 3 men’s pole vaulter settling for a silver behind The Netherland’s Menno Vloon.
Obiena, who beat world record holder Armand Duplantis for the gold in Brussels during the weekend, went for 5.95 meters to break his own Asian record, but could only clear 5.81 meters.
“I wanted to keep the win streak going. But it’s been a straight competition every few days and my legs are feeling it,” Obiena told BusinessMirror on Monday. “Tonight I came up against a guy who had a career night jumping a new Dutch record.”
Vloon set his country’s national record with a gold medal-clinshing leap of 5.88 meters, off his personal best of 5.95 meters. Australia’s Kurtis Marschall claimed bronze with 5.81 meters.
“Pole vaulting involves many tactics such as when to pass a height and when to change poles,” Obiena said. “I made some decisions and they didn’t all work out. I learn and I move on.”Duplantis and Nilsen weren’t on the ISTAF start list.
Obiena’s year has been an amazing one. He clinched a historic bronze for the Philippines at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, to climb to world No. 3 behind Duplantis and American Chris Nilsen.
The 26-year-old Obiena amased four gold medals in 10 days in his European outdoor season campaign, the biggest of which was his victory over Duplantis and Nilsen at the Wanda Diamond League’s Memorial Van Damme leg on Saturday in Belgium.
He will travel to Liechtenstein, to cap his outdoor campaign on September 11 at the Shaan Golden Fly.