Obiena conquers Germany meet with 5.76-meter golden leap

Filipino Olympian pole vaulting sensation Ernest John “EJ” Obiena seized gold with an impressive 5.76-meter finish at the inaugural International Pole Vault Meeting at the Cathedral Square in Halberstadter Hohenflug, Germany, on Saturday, Aug. 1 (Philippine Time).

The World No. 14 took the lead in his campaign with a 5.56-meter opening jump, followed by a clean 5.66-meter leap. 

With the championship medal on the line, Obiena swiftly soared high to 5.76 meters, securing the gold ahead of Qatar's Abdelsalam Seifeldin, who could not match the height and settled for silver.

Seifeldin claimed the silver medal with a 5.66-meter finish, while American athlete Cole Walsh’s 5.56-meter jump earned him the bronze.

The 30-year-old Olympian then attempted to clear 5.90 meters even with the title in hand but fell short in all three attempts.

The victory in Germany marks Obiena's second straight podium finish after earning a silver medal two weeks prior at the Meeting Madrid 2026 in Spain, where he cleared a season-best 5.85 meters.

Building on his momentum, the triumph fuels Obiena to continue displaying his prowess for the remaining tournaments of this year’s campaign as he seeks a remarkable comeback from his spine injury last year.