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Obiena falls flat in Zurich, finishes last

Sports

Obiena falls flat in Zurich, finishes last

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

At A Glance

The Olympic pole vaulter staggered with a 5.60-meter performance, failing his two attempts at 5.75m and his final try at 5.85m.

EJ Obiena surprisingly lost his touch in the Zurich leg of the Wanda Diamond League after finishing last in the 10-player field on Friday, Sept. 1 (Manila time) in Switzerland.

ej obiena4 — EJ Obiena lands 10th and last -- his first non-podium performance this outdoor season -- in the Zurich leg of the Wanda Diamond League. (File Photo/AFP)

The Olympic pole vaulter staggered with a 5.60-meter performance, failing his two attempts at 5.75m and his final try at 5.85m.

This was the first time that Obiena missed the podium this outdoor season while also managing his lowest output since the 32^nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last May where he bagged the gold with a new Games record of 5.65m.

Obiena’s performance came days after his historic feat at the world championships in Budapest, Hungary where he clinched the silver behind world champion Armand Duplantis of Sweden with a 6.00m clearance.

Duplantis, meanwhile, continued his dominance by ruling the event with 6.00m. Sam Kendricks copped the silver with a season-best 5.95m while fellow American KC Lightfoot pocketed the bronze with 5.85m.

Like Obiena, Australian Kurtis Marschall and world No. 2 Chris Nilsen, who shared the bronze in the worlds, couldn’t find their old form and finished at fifth and sixth with 5.85m and 5.75m, respectively.

Obiena, who already earned an Olympic berth to Paris next year, aims to regain his footing when he competes in the Brussels leg of the Wanda Diamond League on Sept. 8 in Belgium.

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