Metro Manila, Philippines — Another broken pole for EJ Obiena, but this time the Filipino pole vaulter secured a silver medal in the Oslo Bislett Games on Friday, May 31 (Manila time).
Obiena cleared 5.72 meters in two attempts to get to the podium in the first European meet for the Diamond League season at the Bislett Stadium in Norway.
He tied with Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, edging out via countback three athletes who also cleared the same height.
But it was United States’ KC Lightfoot who emerged victorious after vaulting 5.82 meters in a single try. He failed to pass the 5.90-meter bar.
Obiena’s performance was with another broken pole, a similar circumstance occurring just two days after his dismal finish in the Ostrava Golden Spike in Czech Republic.
His seventh placement in the Czechia tiff came after numerous challenges in transporting his poles to the European country.
In a Facebook post after his silver win, the 28-year-old from Tondo, Manila said he was “feeling fed up.”
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