Obiena snags bronze in World Athletics Continental Tour, eyes strong September finish

Filipino pole vault ace EJ Obiena marked his competitive return after a two-month hiatus with a bronze-medal performance at the World Athletics Continental Tour in China, vaulting 5.65 meters, September 8.

China’s Tao Zhong captured gold on countback with a 5.75-meter clearance, while American Cole Walsh claimed silver with an identical mark to the home bet.

The result delivers a timely confidence boost for Obiena ahead of the World Athletics Championships slated for September 13 to 21 in Japan.

Obiena, who soared to a historic 6.00 meters in the 2023 edition to set both Asian and Philippine records, seeks to reprise his record-breaking form in Tokyo.

He will also spearhead the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge from September 20 to 21 at Makati’s Ayala Triangle.

Joining the Makati tilt are elite contenders including Turkey’s Ersu Sasma, The Netherlands’ Menno Vloon, France’s Thibaut Collet, Belgium’s Ben Broeders, USA’s Austin Miller and Matt Ludwig, Poland’s Piotr Lisek, and Germany’s Oleg Zernikel.