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Ernest John Obiena, seemingly in rags, surpassed 5.54 meters on Friday (Polish time) and settled for the bronze medal in a draw with reigning US indoor champion Matt Ludwig at the Grand Prix of Poznan Athletics in front of a sold out crowd in Poznan, Poland.
Fresh from their triumphant stint at the Golden Spike match in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Obiena and Ludwig made the leap on their second attempts in the event won by home bet and 2017 European indoor champion Piotr Lisek (5, 72 meters).
Lisek’s compatriot Robert Somera took silver (5.52 meters) in his opening attempt in the competition held at the 3,000-seat Golecin Sports Complex stadium located within the Golecinski National Forest with the Rusalka Lake Reservoir.
Pinoy’s athlete’s father-coach, Emerson Obiena, who watched the event that was broadcast live on video by the Philippine Athletics Association on their YouTube and Facebook sites, noted that his son looked exhausted during his performance.
“EJ (Obiena’s nickname) might be tired after making the long overland journey from Poland,” Emerson said of the 426.4-kilometer journey from Ostrava to Poznan, which included a five-hour train ride plus another hour. by bus from the city of Katowice. to Poznan.
The country’s first qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics left Poland one day after competing in Ostrava on September 8.
“Coach Vitaly Petrov once told us both that if they take a 3-hour road trip, they need at least a day to recover,” Emerson said.
Petrov, who was once in charge of former world and Olympic champion Sergey Bubka, accompanied Obiena to Poland.
Petrov heads the World Athletics elite camp in Formia, Italy, where Obiena and Rio Olympics gold medalist Thiago Braz have been training since 2015.
The eldest, Obiena, noted that the Poland match was his son’s third in less than a week since he saw action at the faded Golden Roof Challenge of the Golden Fly athletic series in Innbruck, Austria, on September 5.
Emerson said he was grateful to 2019 Polish European indoor champion Pawel Wojciechowski, who volunteered to take Ernest John’s poles on his plane ride home, easing the burden on his son.
Wojciechowski, who dominated the European match indoors with a jump of 5.90 meters, had another mediocre start in front of his compatriots, finishing last in the six-inning field after failing to exceed 5.37 meters.
Ernest John and Petrov were heading to Berlin to join Braz, who will see action at the International Stadionfest, a silver event on the World Athletics Continental Tour, scheduled for Sunday (early Monday in Manila), according to Emerson.
“My son is still not sure if he will compete in Berlin. What is certain is that EJ has been invited to compete in the Rome stage of the Diamond League on September 17, ”said elder Obiena.
The Petro Mennea Gold Gala, named after Italian 200-meter Olympic champion Petro Mennea, will take place at the 70,000-seat Stadio Olimpico, site of the opening ceremonies of the 1960 Rome Olympic Games and athletic championships. Olympians.
