APPARENTLY spent from winning in Metz, France the previous day, Ernest John Obiena jumped a so-so 5.55 meters early yesterday morning (Monday night in Europe) and slumped to seventh and last place in the men’s pole vault event of the ISTAF Dusseldorf track and field meet in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Looking out of synch barely 24 hours after ruling the Metz Moselle Athletic indoor competition with a jump of 5.70 meters, Obiena had just one successful jump at the height before bowing out of contention by failing to clear 5.75 meters.
The dismal outing for the lanky and lean Pinoy vaulter, who holds the Asian record of six meters flat, was a far cry from the jump of 5.93 meters when he won the same event in the 2024 edition held in the German capital of Berlin.
He relinquished his crown to German Torben Blech, who bagged the gold medal by clearing a season-best 5.80 meters while American Paris Olympic silver medalist Sam Kendricks was relegated to silver (5.70), beating bronze medalist Ersu Sasma of Turkey on the countback.
