Obiena misses podium in World Indoor
FILIPINO pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena missed the podium at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Monday morning, March 4 (Manila time).
Obiena placed ninth in the competition where his best clearance was just 5.65 meters (m), failing to become the first Filipino to medal in the tourney.
It was an off night for Obiena who needed two attempts to clear 5.65 m, a height he usually surpasses with ease.
The world no. 2 pole vaulter skipped 5.75 m to clear 5.85 m in which he could not clear in two attempts.
Obiena decided to use his final attempt at 5.90 m but to no avail as he posted one of his worst finishes in his professional career.
Swede Armand “Mondo” Duplantis ruled the tournament as the world no. 1 pole vaulter surpassed 6.05 m in his third attempt for the gold medal.
Duplantis tried to break his world record of 6.23-m clearance but could not clear 6.24 m in three attempts.
American Sam Kendricks took home the silver medal with a 5.90-m clearance while Greek Emmanouil Karalis bagged the bronze with 5.85 m.
Obiena could not make it a three straight podium finish in his indoor season campaign, where he began with a gold medal at the Memorijal Josip Gasparac in Croatia where he posted 5.83 m.
Obiena, the first Filipino to qualify for the Paris Olympics this year, followed that up with an Asian indoor record performance of 5.93-m clearance at Istaf Berlin for his second straight gold on February 24.
Two more Filipinos competed in the World Indoor Championships — Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang.
Hoffman competed in the heats but could not make the semifinals of the women’s 400-m race while Cabang reached the semis of the men’s 60-m hurdles.