MANILA – Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena took home gold in the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike competition on Tuesday night at Městský Stadion in Ostrava City, Czech Republic.
Obiena, also the first Filipino athlete to qualify to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, recorded a season-high 5.74 meters to win.
Obiena actually ended up tied with Renaud Lavillenie of France but the Filipino secured the gold on his second try while the latter got it on his third attempt.
Finishing behind Obiena and Lavillenie is bronze winner Sam Kendricks of the United States.
The 24-year-old Obiena’s 5.74-meter jump in the tournament bested the 5.70 meters he registered at the Wanda Diamond League in Monaco last month.
Obiena, a former University of Santo Tomas standout, bounced back from a sub-par showing at the Golden Roof Challenge 2020 in Innsbruck, Austria last Saturday.
Prior to that, he captured a silver at the 13th Trivento International Meeting last August 4 and at the “Who is the Finest Pole Vaulter in the World?” last August 18./PN
