EJ Obiena cops gold, breaks PH national record in German tourney

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena won another gold medal ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

Obiena on Saturday (Manila time) topped the Jump & Fly International Athletics Meet in Mossingen, Germany after clearing the 5.85-meter mark, surpassing his previous best of 5.81 meters. With his performance, Obiena also set the new Philippine record.

Obiena defeated Germans Zernikel Oleg who settled for second (5.70 m), and Kass Philip and Humann Tom Linus who were tied for third (5.40 m).

On June 3, Obiena also bagged a gold medal in a Swedish tournament.

Prior to the German tournament, Obiena also finished on the podium in a competition in the Netherlands.

Back in February, Obiena recorded his personal best (5.86 m) for indoor pole vault in Poland.

Obiena is the first of the 11 Filipino athletes to qualify for the Tokyo Games.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA News