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EJ Obiena beats Duplantis, Nilsen in Brussels meet

Sports

EJ Obiena beats Duplantis, Nilsen in Brussels meet

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

EJ Obiena stunned the field that included world record holder Mondo Duplantis and Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Chris Nilsen after ruling the Memorial van Damme Wanda Diamond League meet in Brussels, Belgium Friday, Sept. 2 (Saturday in Manila).

Photo from EJ Obiena's Facebook post

Obiena cleared 5.91 meters on his third attempt to beat Duplantis and Nilsen for his first Wanda Diamond League meet victory.

“Made a core memory today,” Obiena wrote in a social media post.

It was also his first triumph against Duplantis, who has been dominating the pole vault scene with above 6-meter marks.

But this time, the Swedish superstar could only clear 5.81m after his three attempts at 5.91m went futile.

Nilsen, for his part, took home the bronze via countback after he, Netherlands’ Rutger Koppelaar and 2016 Rio Olympics champion Thiago Braz of Brazil registered identical 5.71m.

It was Obiena’s third straight gold medal and fifth consecutive podium finish since he started his second season in the European circuit two weeks ago.

So far, he has won in German tilts like the Stabhochsprungmeeting in Jockgrim last Aug. 23, the True Athletes Classics in Leverkusen last Aug. 28 and the St. Wendel City Jump in Sankt Wendel on Aug. 31.

He finished with bronze in the Athletissima meet in Lausanne, Switzerland last Aug. 25.

Obiena continues his search for more victories in the ISTAF 2022 in Berlin, Germany on Sunday, Sept. 4, before capping off his busy schedule with the Golden Fly event in Schaan, Liechtenstein on Sept. 11.

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