FILIPINO pole vault sensation Ernest John Obiena clinched the prestigious men’s elite gold medal at the Memorial Josip Gasparac in Osijek, Croatia, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze category event held on Tuesday (20 Feb 2024).

Ranking as the world’s No. 2, Obiena soared to a height of 5.83 meters on his initial attempt, outperforming Pedro Buarto of Portugal (5.73m) and Olen Tray Oates of the United States (5.61m).

Although Obiena ambitiously raised the bar to 5.93m, he encountered difficulty in his three successive attempts.

Nonetheless, he demonstrated his prowess by effortlessly clearing the bar at 5.51m and making two valiant efforts at 5.73m.

Buarto, after two attempts at his peak performance, made unsuccessful endeavors to surpass the 5.83m mark.

On the other hand, Oates, following a successful clearance at 5.41m on his second try, elevated the bar to 5.61m, which he effortlessly surpassed in a single attempt. However, despite his endeavors, he couldn’t conquer the 5.73m challenge in three attempts.

Obiena’s triumph in Croatia marks a significant milestone as he secures his berth for Paris, marking his second Olympic appearance following his participation in the 2020 Tokyo Games, where he reached the finals but narrowly missed the podium.

His ascent to the exclusive six-meter club during the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway last year remains a highlight, as he set new Asian and national records, surpassing his previous mark of 5.94m established during the World Athletics Championship in 2022.