At A Glance
- Two-time Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena kicked off his European campaign with a bang after winning a bronze medal in the INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe in Germany over the weekend.
(EJ Obiena FB post)
Two-time Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena kicked off his European campaign with a bang after winning a bronze medal in the INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe in Germany over the weekend.
Fresh off a gold-medal haul in China, Obiena made his presence felt and cleared 5.70 meter to snare the bronze of the men’s pole vault event.
The 30-year-old Obiena finished behind Norwegian Sondre Guttormsen (5.84m) and American Cole Walsh (5.78m), who bagged the gold and silver medals, respectively.
It was a fitting follow-up for Obiena who came off his first-ever gold medal at the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tianjin, China.
It was a victory that turned out to be special for the decorated vaulter.
“Secondly, this was the final remaining Asian Championship Gold that I haven’t got. I have won multiple SEA Games, Asian Games, Asian Championships, the one remaining was the Asian Indoors Championship,” Obiena wrote on his social media post.
“Records are made to be broken. But victories and titles remain forever. I am proud to bring home this gold to my nation,” he added. “In Pole Vault, we finally have won every single Asian Championship Gold Medal. Our greatness is on display for all to see.”
Obiena looks forward to replicating his great showing when he competes in France and Poland later this month.