EJ Obiena makes history at the World Championships as the first Filipino to bring home a medal while resetting his personal best height.
EJ Obiena concludes the 2022 World Athletics Championships by resetting his own Asian record with a 5.94m clearance to become the first Filipino to win a medal in the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.
“This was something I really wanted but I do not know if I was expecting it,” Obiena said. “I definitely did not expect that I would jump that high. And I would not think that it would actually take that high to win a medal.”
Not quite making it on his first try, Obiena attempted 5.94m on his second jump to break his previous continental, national, and personal mark of 5.93m which he set in the Golden Roof Challenge in Austria in September.
“Philippines is the best in Asia for pole vault. And third best in the world. Hungry for more cookie,” Obiena then said in a social media post.
World record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden took the gold without much sweat, being the only competitor to clear the 6.00m mark and even registering a new world record of 6.21m.
Chris Nilsen of the United States also cleared 5.94m like EJ, but beating the Filipino for the silver medal by clearing the distance on his first attempt.
Like Obiena, Nilsen also bowed out at 6.00m.
Former Olympic champion Thiago Braz also jumped for a podium finish but had failed to clear 5.94m twice, reserving his last attempt for the six meter height, which he eventually failed and secured Obiena’s podium finish.
A total of 32 pole vaulters competed in the world championships, which also saw the performance of former record holder Renaud Lavillenie of France who jumped his season-best of 5.87m that landed him on the fifth spot.
Tags: #polevault, #worldchampionship, #olympics