EJ Obiena broke his own record of 5.86 meters set in last year’s Orlen Cup in Lodz with his 5.91-meter pole vault at the Perche Elite Tour in France.
EJ Obiena shattered his personal best in indoor pole vaulting, clearing the 5.91-meter mark ar the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen, France on Sunday (March 6).
The result broke his own mark of 5.86 meters set in last year’s Orlen Cup in Lodz which is now the PH national record for indoor pole vault.
It was also a centimeter away from tying the 24-year-old Asian indoor mark of 5.92 meters of Igor Potapovich of Kazakhstan set in Stockholm.
This outing was his best of the season after Obiena registered 5.81 meters in his title-winning performance in the Orlen Cup Orlen Copernicus Cup 2022 in Poland last February.
In the French meet, Obiena had a fine start after successfully jumping the 5.51, 5.61, and 5.71-meter marks in his first attempt.
The 26-year-old pole vaulter honored his Ukrainian coach with the gesture after clearing his record-breaking jump.
Obiena pointed to his bracelet with the colors of the Ukrainian flag blue and yellow.
Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Christopher Nielsen from the USA took home gold after clearing 6.01 meters on his 2nd attempt.
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics bronze medalist Thiago Braz of Brazil likewise cleared 5.91m and ended up third place via countback.
Obiena's new record came days after the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association refused to endorse the pole vaulter to major international competitions citing non-completion of mediation procedures. The refusal was criticized by the Philippine Olympic Committee.
The PATAFA turned down Obiena’s request last Monday that denies Obiena to see action in the World Indoor Championships in Serbia on March 18-20 as well as the coming 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 12-23, 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China which is set on September 12-25 and the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon on July 15-24.
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