POLE vaulter Ernest John Obiena achieved a new milestone yesterday (Sunday in the US), soaring to a record-breaking jump of 5.94 meters to bag the bronze medal in the 18th World Athletics Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Obiena, 26, emerged as the first Filipino track and field athlete to gain a podium finish in the prestigious world athletics showcase while eclipsing his Asian and Philippine records of 5.93 meters set in the Golden Roof Challenge in Innsbruck, Austria last Sept. 11, 2021.
He finished behind hometown bet Chris Nielsen, who also jumped 5.94 meters but took the silver on the countback, while Swedish favorite Armand Duplantis was on another level as usual, handily securing the gold medal with a new world record of 6.21 meters.
Nearly a year after capturing the gold in the Tokyo Olympics, the phenomenal Duplantis completed a sweep of the world indoor and outdoor meets while eclipsing his previous world mark of 6.20 meters set at the World indoor championships in Belgrade, Serbia last March.
Obiena’s training partner, Rio Olympic Games men’s pole vault champion Tiago Braz of Brazil, finished fourth with a jump of 5.87 meters.
Braz tried with all his might in a last-ditch bid to gain a medal, skipping his last attempt at the 5.94-meter mark after two failures but failed to clear six meters.
“Hungry for more cookie (sic). The best is yet to come,” Obiena said on his official Facebook page yesterday shortly after his feat at the 12,650-seat home of US athletics.
After placing sixth in the qualifiers two days ago with a jump of 5.75 meters, the same height that all 12 finalists cleared, Obiena began on sure footing, clearing 5.55, 5.70, 5.80 and 5.87 meters in just five tries.
After nailing 5.87 meters on his first jump, Obiena, the No. 10 performer, briefly shared the lead with Braz, who also cleared the height in one try.
Only seven entries cleared the 5.87-meter mark, with German Bo Kanda Lita Baehre bringing the rear, making the jump on his third and last attempt.
Obiena had trouble clearing 5.94-meters on his first attempt but had a perfect takeoff to clear it on his next try while Nilsen, the Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, cleared it on his first jump.
Aside from Braz, Obiena also outshone veteran Frenchman Renauld Lavillenie, the 2012 London Olympics gold medalist, who finished tied for fifth with German Oleg Zernikel at 5.87 meters.
The Philippine Sports Commission congratulated Obiena and said President Marcos was elated with the pole vaulter’s latest achievement.
“President Marcos said in Malacañang that regardless of the color of the medal, he will always be proud of the performances of the national athletes in international competitions since they are representing the country,” said PSC officer-in-charge Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr.
