Pole vault ace EJ Obiena soars to career-high world no. 3

Published July 28, 2022 4:42pm

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Men's Pole Vault - Final - Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - July 24, 2022 Gold medallist Sweden's Armand Duplantis celebrates winning the men's pole vault final and setting a new world record alongside silver medallist Christopher Nilsen of the U.S. and bronze medallist Philippines' Ernest John Obiena REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

EJ Obiena has soared to a career-high no. 3 in the latest pole vault world rankings following a historic bronze medal finish at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States last weekend.

Previously ranked no. 6, the 26-year-old ace jumped three places higher with a total score of 1408 and behind world's best Mondo Duplantis (1612) of Sweden and Chris Nilsen (1435) of the US.

This was a new career-high for the Filipino Olympian as he previously vaulted to world no. 5 before sliding back down to sixth place.

Obiena recently became the country's first-ever medalist at the World Championships after his third place finish behind Duplantis and Nilsen with a record-breaking 5.94 meter mark output.

The feat allowed Obiena to shatter his personal, national, and Asian record.

—Bea Micaller/MGP, GMA News

Tags: EJ Obiena, Pole Vault, track and field