EJ Obiena solidifies return to nat'l team, backs up with Diamond League bronze
By Akio Mananes
EJ Obiena proved yet again his worth of being a part of the national team as he backed up his historic World Athletics Championships run with another bronze in the Silesia Diamond League in Poland, Saturday.
Photo Courtesy of Philippine Star |
The Filipino pole vaulter managed to breach the 5.73 meters bar in two attempts that pushed his chances in securing a spot in the podium, en route to the back-to-back bronze finish.
With his illustrious winning ways, Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Terry Capistrano stated in a letter addressed to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) that the national athletics body reinstated Obiena to its roster.
Capistrano added that they are negotiating for Obiena to be "given the same allowances previously extended to him based on his classification as a world-class athlete."
Meanwhile, Olympic champion and world record holder Armand Duplantis soared high for the Swedish flag in gold after clinching a new meet record of 6.10m with little-to-no sweat.
Duplantis, who currently reigns the world record crown of 6.21m, snatched the throne from former Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie of France with his 5.91m back in 2017.
Norway's pride Sondre Guttormsen also leaped over 5.73m en route to a silver medal via the countback rule, clearing the bar in his first attempt that was one shy of Obiena's two passages.
Furthermore, Piotr Lisek's 5.63m stamped Poland at fourth while USA's Chris Nilsen dropped to fifth with 5.53m - a shocking dip for the American sensation after trailing behind Duplantis in silver back in the Worlds.
Lavillenie, 2016 Olympic crown holder Thiago Braz of Brazil, and France's Thibaut Collet also failed to extract a gist of the podium.
Edited by Quian Vencel Galut