Obiena soars over 5.82m for gold in France  

MANILA, Philippines — World Championship bronze medalist EJ Obiena collected his first victory of the year after he reigned supreme in the Perche En Or meet in Roubaix, France yesterday.

The World No. 3 pole-vaulter cleared 5.82 meters that proved enough to turn back all challengers and claim the gold in a first triumph in a long, arduous season.

The Asian record-holder went for a season-best 5.90m but failed on his attempts.

The gold came a few days after he captured the silver in the International Jump Meeting in Cottbus, Germany with a 5.77m feat.

Interestingly, Obiena matched the qualifying standard of 5.82m for next year’s Paris Olympics set by World Athletics. However, the qualification process won’t start until July 1.

“Hindi pa start, sa July 1 pa umpisa,” Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary-general Edward Kho told The STAR. “Pero kaya naman niya (mag qualify).”

Chinese Yao Jie took the silver following a personal-high 5.75m.

Frenchman Ethan Cormont snared the bronze via count back after he and countrymen Robin Emig and Mathieu Collet posted identical 5.65m clearances.

Yao, the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games silver winner, emerged from this meet as a potential threat to Obiena’s golden bid in the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships set Feb. 10 to 12 in Astana, Kazakhstan and the Asiad slated Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 in Hangzhou, China.