Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena reached new heights as he set a fresh personal and national record to snag a silver medal in the Paris Diamond League on Saturday, August 28.
Obiena shattered the previous mark of 5.87m, which he achieved in Poland in June, after clearing 5.91m to finish just behind world record holder and newly crowned Olympic champion Armand Duplantis of Sweden.
Duplantis, whose world record stands at 6.18m, tallied 6.01m in Paris to clinch the gold medal.
Upset by his 11th-place finish in the recent Tokyo Olympics where he leapt 5.70m, Obiena proves he still has more to show by clearing 5.91m in just a single attempt.
Obiena committed two fouls on 5.96m and failed to surpass 6.01m on his last remaining attempt, paving the way for Duplantis to bag the gold.
It was a brilliant performance for Obiena as he edged Americans Christopher Nilsen, the silver medalist in Tokyo, and Sam Kendricks, the bronze winner in the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Nilsen recorded 5.81m, while Kendricks – who missed the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for the coronavirus – posted 5.73m.
EJ Obiena sets a new personal best! 5.91https://t.co/UClGY4Se9Y pic.twitter.com/uuTM8shNJn
— The Professional Heckler™️ (@hecklerforever8) August 28, 2021