World No. 11 pole vaulter EJ Obiena finished fifth at the Perch’Xtrem meet in Caen, France, clearing 5.75 meters, ending his European tour before heading to the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tianjin on February 6-8.
Obiena cleared 5.50m, 5.65m, and 5.75m on his first attempts but failed three times at 5.84m, while US vaulter Zachery Bradford won with 5.90m.
Before Caen, Obiena earned bronze in Düsseldorf with 5.65m and shared gold in Cottbus at 5.77m.
In Tianjin, he will compete against top Asian pole vaulters, including Huang Bokai of China, Patsapong Amsam-Ang of Thailand, and Hussain Asim Al Hizam of Saudi Arabia, with Italian physiotherapist Christian Ferdinandi joining as coach.
Other Filipino athletes joining the championships include SEA Games gold medalists Hussein Lorana, John Cabang Tolentino, and Leonard Grospe, while distance runner Yacine Guarmali awaits his passport for participation.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 1, 2026
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