Obiena out of podium

MANILA, Philippines — Pole vaulter EJ Obiena finished sixth of 10 with a 5.70m clearance at the Meeting Lievin Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais last Thursday (yesterday morning, Manila time) and despite failing to reach the podium, had the consolation of outjumping three top 10 contenders.  It was the third straight competition where Obiena registered 5.70m but at the Asian Indoor Championships in Tianjin, it was good for gold and at the INIT Indoor Meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany, it was good for bronze.

At Lievin, Obiena went up against a star-studded cast that included six top 10 vaulters.  Greek standout Emmanouil Karalis, who took the 2024 Olympic bronze on a countback after tying Obiena at 5.90m, cleared 6.00m to claim the gold.  Karalis is now ranked World No. 2 behind Armand Duplantis.  Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen jumped 5.90m to place second on a countback and US’ Zachery Bradford slipped to third.  US’ KC Lightfoot and Australia’s Kurtis Marschall recorded 5.80m but Lightfoot wound up fourth on a countback.  Obiena was solo sixth and outdid World No. 4 Sam Kendricks (5.60m), World No. 5 Menno Vloon (5.60m), World No. 10 Chris Nilsen (5.45m) and World No. 36 Robin Emig (5.45m).

Obiena’s best mark so far this year was 5.77m in Cottbus, Germany, where he shared the gold with Vloon.  His world ranking has dipped to No. 12 but he’s hoping to still qualify for the World Indoor Championships at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena in Torun, Poland, on March 20-22.  The qualifying standard is 5.90m but vaulters may also make it depending on their world rankings.  Cut-off to qualify is March 8.

The last World Tour Gold competition is the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun on Sunday with Obiena on the start list.  Obiena’s adviser Jim Lafferty said he’s optimistic that 2026 will be a “superb” year.  “Normally, EJ opens the season at 5.50m to 5.60m then builds,” said Lafferty.  “Only once did he open at 5.70m as he did this year and that was in 2023 which was his greatest season when he rose to No. 2 in the world and nailed 6.00m twice.  EJ began this season tying his best season-opening jump ever.  Let’s all get behind him, send him good vibes and karma, say our prayers and be positive.”