EJ Obiena overcomes the difficult field and wins the first gold of the season

EJ Obiena finally achieved a gold medal this year by leading a field that he is sure to face at the Tokyo Olympics next year.

The 24-year-old Filipino pole vaulter was the winner of the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike in the Czech Republic.

By winning gold on Wednesday, Obiena posted a season-high 5.74 meters to beat a tough cast that included two-time world champion Sam Kendricks of the USA and reigning Olympic champion Thiago Braz of Brazil.

Renauld Lavilenie of France, a silver medalist at the Rio de Janeiro Games and also a former world champion, also broke the bar at 5.74 meters, but Obiena was declared the winner by a countdown after both runners registered their best effort. on his second try.

Kendricks rescued the bronze with 5.64 meters. She also won the bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics.

Braz also finished with 5.64 meters but settled for fourth place.

The meet is a gold-level event of the World Continental Tour of Athletics in the Czech Republic and also attracted two former world champions in Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski and Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany.

Obiena, who currently resides in Italy, previously won a bronze and a pair of silver medals while resuming her training and preparation for the Tokyo Games.

He’s ready to compete in other pole vault competitions in Europe for the rest of the month.

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