By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
EJ Obiena showed consistency and focus despite a busy schedule competing in international pole vaulting stints and continued his streak of podium finishes after clinching the silver medal during the ISTAF Berlin meet in Germany.
Coming off a scintillating gold medal win over the world’s no. 1 pole vaulter Armand Duplantis in the Brussels Diamond League, Obiena is currently on a roll without missing a single podium finish in the past two weeks.
Obiena was still impressive during the ISTAF Berlin meet and tallied a final score of 5.81-meters which was enough to land him the second-place in the tournament.
Menno Vloon of The Netherlands emerged victorious during the tournament and scored a gold-medal clinching 5.88-m which was also a new personal best.
It was a risky move for the Filipino sensation after deciding to skip the 5.88-m height and go for the 5.95-m for a clearer chance of bagging the gold.
However, Obiena consumed all of his three attempts in the 5.95-m height and was called for three straight fouls.
Obiena was left with his 5.81-m accomplished height, 10 cm away from tying his gold medal score during the Diamond League.
Kurtis Marschall had the chance to overtake Obiena in second place but the Filipino edged him via the countback rule.
Rounding up the list of participants during the ISTAF Berlin meet are Rutger Koppelaar of The Netherlands, Anthony Ammirati and Valentin Lavillenie of France, Olen Tray Oates of the United States, Simen Guttormsen of Norway, and Gillian Ladwig of Germany.
