Obiena clinches bronze in Norway leg of Diamond League, sustains medal streak

MANILA, Philippines, June 17 ------ EJ Obiena preserved his medal streak in the outdoor season and bagged bronze in the Oslo Bislett Games in Norway. Although unable to replicate his historic six-meter vault in the Bergen Jump Challenge five days ago, the Filipino star still cleared 5.81m in the Norway leg of the Diamond League to secure his fourth straight podium finish.

Obiena needed just one try in each of his first three heights as he handily leapt past 5.61m, 5.71m, and 5.81m before he committed back-to-back fouls at 5.91m. Deciding to skip 5.91m in a bid to reset his Asian and national records at 6.01m, Obiena saw his final attempt go to waste as he failed to take off.

World record holder and reigning Olympic champion Armand Duplantis of Sweden once again lorded over the competition with a 6.01m vault. The United States’ Chris Nilsen, who finished behind Duplantis in the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, suffered the same fate in Oslo as he recorded 5.91m for the silver.

Obiena has won medals in all four of his outdoor competitions this year.

He opened the season by completing a three-peat in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May, clinched bronze in the Irena Szewinska Memorial last June 6, and struck gold in the Bergen Jump Challenge last June 10. The Tondo, Manila pride made history in Bergen with his 6.0m clearance, becoming just the first Asian and the 28th pole vaulter in the world all-time to hurdle the six-meter barrier.

Set to return to his home base in Formia, Italy, Obiena is expected to resume his European campaign in the Ostrava Golden Spike in Czech Republic on June 27. Obiena will then begin his quest to earn his 2024 Paris Games berth, where he needs to surpass the 5.82m entry standard in any competition authorized by World Athletics during the Olympic qualification period starting July 1.

Source: rappler.com