Obiena keeps gold medal run in Duplantis-less German tournament
WORLD Championships bronze medalist EJ Obiena sustained his gold medal juggernaut as he topped the St. Wendel City Jump in Sankt Wendel, Germany Wednesday.
The World No. 3 from the Philippines completed a clearance of 5.86 meters to not only capture the mint against Menno Vloon of the Netherlands and Anthony Ammirati of France but also set a new meet record.
Messrs. Vloon and Ammirati had 5.81m apiece but the former took the silver via count back while the latter wound up with the bronze.
The Asian record-holder and Southeast Asian Games gold winner tried to breach the six-meter plateau for the very first time and eclipse his personal best of 5.94m but fell short thrice.
But despite his failure to set a new mark, Mr. Obiena kept his big-winning ways as he claimed his third gold and fourth straight podium finish in an impressive span of a little over a week.
His other golden triumphs came in the Stabhochspringmeeting in Jockgrim last Aug. 23 and the True Athletes Classic in Leverkusen also in Germany several days later.
Mr. Obiena had a bronze in the Athletissima in Lausanne, Switzerland in between his gold conquests.
Reigning Olympic and world champion and world record-holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden and World No. 2 Chris Nilsen of the United States both skipped the Sankt Wendel tilt.
Mr. Obiena will have a chance to extend his excellent run as he is scheduled to see action in the Memorial van Damme tonight in Brussels, Belgium, the ISTAF 2022 on Sunday in Berlin, Germany and the Golden Fly on Sept. 11 in Schaan, Liechtenstein. — Joey Villar
