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Pole vaulter EJ Obiena now No. 5 in the world

Sports

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena now No. 5 in the world

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

EJ Obiena (Photo from EJ Obiena's Facebook account)

EJ Obiena improved his world record rankings to No. 5 this week following an impressive finish in the recent Wanda Diamond League Meet.

Obiena, who jumped from No. 6 during the Tokyo Olympics early this month, banked on his silver medal finish at the Meeting de Paris a few days back where he cleared 5.91 meters to also eclipse his own national record.

His previous record was 5.87m he set just last June at a Polish meet.

“Getting there,” said Obiena in a social media post. “I may not meet the expectation of all, but I keep trying. Thank you for all the prayers and support. The journey continues and I am proud to carry the nation with me.”

After an 11th place finish in the Olympics, Obiena returned to Italy to resume his training under veteran mentor Vitaly Petrov.He is being eyed by supporters to return stronger and more experienced in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Obiena’s recent record-breaking feat also earned him a P250,000 cash incentive from the Philippine Sports Commission under the law.

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