World No. 11 pole vaulter EJ Obiena continued his relentless campaign to break into the top 10, winning gold at the Asian Indoors in Tianjin before flying to Germany the next day to compete in the INIT Indoor Meeting in Karlsruhe.
Despite grueling travel—including a two-hour drive, an 11-hour flight, and a 1.5-hour ride—Obiena cleared 5.70m to claim bronze at the first World Tour Gold event of the season.
He strategically skipped certain heights and attempted a 5.84m jump but could not surpass it, finishing behind Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen and the US’s Cole Walsh.
Philippine officials and embassy staff provided critical logistical support to ensure he arrived on time and ready to compete.
Obiena now sets his sights on qualifying for the World Indoors in Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Poland, in March.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 10, 2026
