SUFFERING his worst setback in recent memory, pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena jumped to a measly 5.65 meters and finished a disappointing ninth early yesterday morning (Sunday night in Great Britain) in the 24th World Athletics Indoor Championship at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.
After clearing the bar on his second try, Obiena, whose personal and Asian best is six meters flat, passed at the height of 5.75 meters but struggled to keep pace with the rest of the elite field.
Coming into the meet with back-to-back victories in the Memorial Josip Gasparac in Osijek, Croatia and ISTAF Indoor Berlin meet, the lanky Pinoy bet continued to fumble, missing his first two attempts at 5.85 meters, hitting the bar rising.
On his last try, Obiena stood at the landing mat with a puzzled look on why he could not clear the height he easily and routinely had done so in the past.
In a last-ditch bid to save his outing, Obiena skipped his third try at that height to gamble — and give himself breathing room — at 5.90 meters.
But he also hit the bar rising, then meekly waved to the crowd after his dismal stint in the event where, as the world No. 2 pole vaulter, he was tipped to challenge Swedish world and Olympic champion Armand Duplantis for top honors.
Also seemingly feeling out of synch, Duplantis wobbled at 5.85 meters, completing the jump on his third try, before easing into the groove on the way to securing the gold medal with a world-leading height of 6.05 meters.
Veteran two-time American world champion Sam Kendricks was in top form and took the silver medal with a jump of 5.90 meters while Greek Emmanouil Karalis, who placed fourth in the event in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, was a surprise third, clearing a season-best 5.85 meters.
Tokyo Olympic Games silver medalist Chris Nilsen was fourth with 5.75 meters, relegating Australian Kurtis Marschall to fifth on the countback.
Obiena’s surprising mediocre outcome will surely be analyzed by his longtime Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov, who also mentored compatriot and former world and Olympic champion Sergey Bubka, as they head back to their training camp in Formia, Italy.