World No. 12 pole vaulter EJ Obiena won the gold medal at the ISTAF Indoor silver-level competition in Berlin with a season-high clearance of 5.78 meters.
Obiena strategically skipped earlier heights, cleared 5.60m on his second attempt, and succeeded at 5.78m on his first try, though he fell short of the 5.90m qualifying mark for the World Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland.
Norway’s Simen Guttormsen also cleared 5.78m but settled for silver on countback, while Menno Vloon of the Netherlands and Germany’s Bo Kanda Lita Baehre tied for third at 5.70m.
This marks Obiena’s first solo gold on the European indoor circuit this season, adding to his previous shared victories in Cottbus, Germany, and at the Asian Indoor Championships in Tianjin.
With only five vaulters having cleared 5.90m this season, Obiena’s Berlin win boosts his chances of securing a spot at the World Indoors based on ranking points.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 8, 2026
EJ CLAIMS TOP SPOT WITH GOLD MEDAL IN BERLIN
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