Filipino pole vault star Ernest John “EJ” Obiena kicked off his 2026 outdoor campaign with a silver-medal finish at the Eurowings Flight Circus in Dusseldorf, Germany on Monday (Philippine time).
The two-time Olympian cleared 5.74 meters on his second attempt to secure second place in the competition, finishing behind American Chris Nilsen, who topped the field with a clearance of 5.83m.
Qatari vaulter Seifeldin Abdelsalam settled for bronze after clearing 5.65m.
Obiena later shared his thoughts on social media, expressing satisfaction with his performance despite difficult conditions.
“5.74m for 2nd place here in Dusseldorf to start the 2026 outdoor season. Battled through some swirling winds but overall happy with how it all went,” Obiena wrote on Instagram.
The result marked a positive start to the outdoor season for the world-class Filipino athlete as he begins preparations for a busy international calendar.
Obiena is set to compete next in Doha, Qatar on June 19 for the season’s first Diamond League meet.
Obiena remains one of the Philippines’ top medal hopes in international athletics after consistently ranking among the world’s elite pole vaulters in recent years. (AC)
