IN a morale-boosting tune-up win before his next big event, pole vaulter Ernest John Oiena set a new meet record with a jump of 5.86 meters when he ruled the St. Wendel City Jump early yesterday morning (Wednesday night in Europe) in St. Wendel, Germany.
It was the second straight top finish for Obiena, who also topped the True Athletes Classic in Leverkusen, Germany last Monday with a jump of 5.81 meters.
Tokyo Olympic Games veteran Menno Vloon of the Netherlands took runner-up honors in 5.81 meters, relegating young Frenchman Anthony Ammirati to third on the countback, although the latter set a French Under-20 record.
Obiena tried anew to surpass his national and Asian record of 5.94 meters set at the world meet in Eugene, Oregon last July but failed to clear six meters flat in three tries.
“Back-to-back (wins). Third opening height made this competition more breathtaking. As always, the competition atmosphere was amazing and thank you for having me,” Obiena said on his official Facebook page yesterday.
The triumph should serve as a tonic as he competes today (early Saturday morning in Manila) in the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, the 12th and last qualifying leg of the Wanda Diamond League series, at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.
Obiena will be up against a tough field led by reigning Swedish Olympic and world champion Armand Duplantis, who remains unbeaten this season, with American Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Chris Nielsen and 2012 London Summer Games gold medalist Renauld Lavillenie of France also vying in the blue-ribbon meet.
The competition is named after the late Belgian middle distance running great Ivo Van Damme, who swept the men’s 800 and 1,500-meter runs in the 1976 Montreal Olympics but died in a tragic car accident in Marseille, France just a few months after the Games.
