OBIENA PLACES SEVENTH AS DUPLANTIS SOARS TO NEW WORLD RECORD IN STOCKHOLM

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino pole vault ace Ernest John 'EJ' Obiena placed seventh in the Bauhaus-Galan at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium in Sweden early Monday (Manila time).

Obiena cleared 5.70m before ending his night after failing to clear 5.80 in three attempts.

Reigning Olympic champ and home bet Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis, meanwhile, aced the same height in just one try.

The 25-year-old went on to soar above 5.90m, 6.0m, and then a new world record 6.28m for the gold medal.

Kurtis Marschall of Australia (5.90m) and Menno Vloon of the Netherlands (5.80) finished behind Duplantis and rounded out the podium finishers.

Duplantis' latest clearance is the 12th world record of his career, topping the last one he set in All Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand, France where he surpassed 6.27m last February.

World no. 4 Obiena, on the other hand, missed the podium for the third straight tournament.

The 29-year-old cleared the starting height of 5.45m in just one try before skipping 5.60 and then surpassing 5.70 in his second go.

After ruling the Asian Athletics Championships for the third straight year in Gumi, Korea on May 31 with a 5.77m clearance, Obiena struggled to return to the podium.

He finished fifth at the FBK Games in the Netherlands last Tuesday when he elevated to a 5.66-meter clearance.

The 6-foot-2 pole vaulter then incurred a 'no mark' finish at the Oslo Bislett Games in Norway last Friday, failing to clear any height.

2025-06-16T02:24:34Z