POLE vaulter Ernest John Obiena claimed his third straight podium finish over a span of six days, ruling the True Athletes Classic with a jump of 5.81 meters at the Stadion Monfort in Leverkusen, Germany last Sunday.
Coming off his bronze medal outing of 5.80 meters in the Athletissima meet, the 11th leg of the Wanda Diamond League, in Lausanne, Switzerland two days ago, Obiena clinched the win in just two jumps after starting his attempts at the 5.63-meter mark and securing the gold on his second try.
With the pressure of winning off his shoulders, he tried to surpass his Asian and national record of 5.94 meters set in his bronze-medal finish at the world meet in July in Eugene, Oregon but failed in all three attempts at the 5.95-meter height.
Obiena beat Dutchman Rutgar Koppelar and Australian Kurtis Marschall, who finished second and third, respectively, on the countback.
“I am happy to bring home the gold again… But on the other hand, I am frustrated by missing 5.95m again,” Obiena said.
“We have boiled it down to some technical adaptations, which at these heights makes the difference between a miss or a make. Like anything in life, this is all about continual improvement,” he explained.
Obiena will resume his outdoor season when he competes in the St. Wendel City Jump in the German town of St. Wendel, 257.1 kilometers northeast of Leverkusen, tomorrow.
