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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Obiena seeks follow-up in Stockholm meet

Obiena seeks follow-up in Stockholm meet

Published Jun 1, 2024 04:15 am

At A Glance

  • EJ Obiena hopes he can find poles that will suit him best in time for the Bauhaus Galan Wanda Diamond League in Stockholm, Sweden on Sunday, June 2.

EJ Obiena hopes he can find poles that will suit him best in time for the Bauhaus Galan Wanda Diamond League in Stockholm, Sweden on Sunday, June 2.

He ought to and quick.

ej obiena
EJ Obiena hopes to find a new pole in time for the Bauhaus Galan Wanda Diamond League. (Diamond League Athletics)

That’s because he will be up against Olympic and world champion Armand “Mondo” Duplantis who is long considered as the modern hero of the host country.

The world No. 2 Obiena managed to snag the silver medal on borrowed poles in the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway on Friday, May 31, after breaking his own poles the second time in mid-competition.

He cleared 5.72 meters to finish in joint second with Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis with American KC Lightfoot winning the event in 5.82m.

“Another pole broken… On the brighter side of things, thanks to (Menno Vloon) and (Lightfoot) for lending me poles to jump on,” Obiena said.

“Now we try to look for poles to use in Bauhaus Galan,” he added.

The same incident happened at the 63rd Ostrava Golden Spike in Czech Republic a few days before where he also broke his pole during competition. He struggled and finished seventh in that event with a 5.52m performance.

Despite the current situation, Obiena hopes to keep his composure for his third meet of the  week, where he will be up against fellow Olympians like Lightfoot, Americans Chris Nilsen and Sam Kendricks, France’s Thibaut Collet, Belgium’s Ben Broeders and Duplantis.

Also competing is Clayton Fritsch of the United States.

Duplantis has been untouchable at the top podium this year, winning all seven events he has competed in including at the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen in China last April where he reset his own world record to 6.24m.

He has been clearing the 6-meter bar in his last five events, showing his prowess and determination to retain his gold medal at the Paris Olympics slated in July.

Obiena, meanwhile, has a season-best 5.80m but holds the national and Asian record of 6.00m. He competed against Duplantis twice this year, but missed the podium -- in the world indoor championships where he landed ninth and most recently, in Ostrava.

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