FILIPINO pole vault star Ernest John Obiena captured the men’s title at the ISTAF Berlin in Germany after clearing 5.82 meters early Monday morning (Philippine time).
Obiena secured the gold ahead of Belgium’s Ylio Philtjens, who finished second at 5.72m. France’s Robin Emig took third after losing the countback.
The victory gave Obiena his fourth ISTAF Berlin title overall. He previously won the outdoor edition in 2023 and the indoor competition in 2024, before completing a sweep of this year’s events with his latest triumph.
The 30-year-old Filipino has now collected nine gold medals in 2026 as he continues his comeback following a difficult 2025 season.
Despite winning the competition, Obiena admitted he was unhappy with how the event was conducted, particularly the conditions surrounding the pole vault competition.
“To be honest, it did not feel so good to win here. I did not like to win this way. There was a lot of action on the track and the other pole vaulters were not happy with that. But, it is what it is,” he said.
Obiena, who recently secured qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships with a 5.90m clearance at the Zurich Diamond League, said he is still adjusting to changes in his training setup, including his new coach.
“This season was a bit tricky for me because I changed coaches in June. I am now working with Karalis’ father and I moved to Athens. I am getting into my jumping right now,” Obiena said.
With the Ultimate Championship qualification no longer within reach, Obiena is now turning his attention to his remaining competitions, including the Asian Games scheduled for Sept. 20. (Adrian Co)
