OLYMPIAN pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena of the Philippines posted an impressive performance of 5.81 meters (m) on Friday (Manila time) but only placed sixth overall at the Wanda Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland.
After making 5.81 m in his second attempt, Obiena failed to clear 5.91 m in three attempts and make the podium.
“5.81m here in Lausanne,” Obiena posted on Facebook and Instagram.
Obiena made 5.91 m last Wednesday to win the gold medal at the Golden Sand in Miedzyzdroje, Poland.
World record holder and two-time Olympic champion Armand Duplantis of Sweden topped the Wanda Diamond League at 6.21 m while Emmanouil Karalis of Greece finished second at 6.16 meters.
Kurtis Marschall of Australia, Sondre Guttormsen of Norway and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen of the United States all cleared 5.91 m but the bronze medal went to Marschall after the countback.
Obiena and Americans Sam Kendricks and Zach Bradford finished the tournament with identical marks of 5.81 m but the Filipino claimed sixth place and the Americans ended up tied for seventh place after the tie-break was applied.
Obiena, the reigning Asian Games champion, will next compete in the 13th leg of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League in Silesia, Poland on Sunday.
2 men surpass meet record Urged on by more than 5,000 delighted spectators, Duplantis cleared his best mark of the season on his first attempt, just as he had with his previous five bars, while Karalis had to settle for 6.16 m on his second try.
Never before had a second-place finisher jumped so high as both men broke the previous meet record of 6.15 meters.
"I'm tired but I feel really good, I feel really happy," said Duplantis.
"That was such an amazing competition, everybody jumped so well, so I felt like I really had to step it up. I'm glad I jumped really well."
After a final failed attempt by Karalis at 6.26 meters, Duplantis initially seemed to turn down the chance of improving his own world record for the 16th time before changing his mind.
It currently stands at 6.31 meters but his two attempts at 6.32 m both ended in failure.
"That's competition, that's what we live for," said Duplantis.
"I love to compete, I love competing against Manolo, especially when he is on his A-game like this.
"I just like to jump high. That's what I feel like I was made to do."
Karalis, who stayed to cheer on his rival's attempts to break the world record, said he felt "blessed, and very proud, to represent this incredible era" of pole vaulting.
After winning the European silver, when he jumped 6.00 meters, the 26-year-old Greek said he was already dreaming of clearing 6.20 meters "and maybe more."
"We'll be competing in Silesia in a few days, so yes, I need to recover," he said.
"I love Silesia, it's where I cleared my first six-meter bar so I hope I can jump even higher." WITH REPORTS FROM AFP
