FILIPINO star pole-vaulter EJ Obiena is striking while the iron is hot.
Re-energized by the new set of poles he received straight from the Philippines, Mr. Obiena continued to compete like a man-possessed and topped the Memorial Czeslaw Cybulski Memorial in Poznan, Poland over the weekend.
The World No. 2 and Asian champion from Tondo in Manila was a cut above the rest in Poznan as he posted a clearance of 5.87 meters that erased last year’s meet record of 5.80m and the five-year-old stadium mark of 5.80m both owned by local hero Piotr Lisek.
Mr. Lisek tried to defend home soil but ended up at second with a 5.82m while Saudi Arabia’s Hussain Al-Hizam took the bronze with a 5.62m after he turned back China’s Huang Bokai via count back.
It completed a Poland sweep by Mr. Obiena, who also reigned supreme in Bydgoszcz where he registered 5.97m just several days ago.
“Back to back competitions in Poland were definitely a blast. Thank you Poznan for the great time,” said Mr. Obiena on his social media page.
While Mr. Obiena has yet to breach the 6m mark — his personal best — this year, the Southeast Asian Games king has slowly but surely built confidence with just a little more a month to go before he waged perhaps the biggest war in his life — the Paris Olympics. — Joey Villar
