EJ Obiena claims bronze in Bislett Games

Filipino Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena claimed the bronze medal at the Oslo Diamond League-Bislett games in Norway on Friday, June 16 (Manila time).

After posting a new personal-best and Asian record of 6.0 meters at the Bergen Jump Challenge last Saturday, Obiena only cleared 5.81 meters this time to place third.

EJ Obiena PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIO

Obiena finished behind gold medal winner and world record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden who cleared 6.01 meters and silver medalist Christopher Nilsen of the US who vaulted 5.91 meters.

The 27-year-old Obiena started with the height of 5.61 meters and aced it in just one attempt. He did the same at 5.71 and 5.81 meters.

The world's number three pole vaulter, though, could not clear the 5.91-meter bar in two tries as he decided to skip it and use his last attempt at 6.01 meters but was still unsuccessful.

Nonetheless, Obiena's performance kept his podium streak alive this year starting with the 32nd Southeast Asian Games last month in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he unleashed a new meet record of 5.65 meters to claim his third straight gold medal.

Obiena then jumped 5.72 meters for the bronze at the Memorial Ireny Szewinska in Bydgoszcz, Poland on June 7.

The 6-foot-2 Obiena, who hails from Tondo, went on to post the new Asian record of 6.0 meters and won the gold at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway on June 10.