Obiena secures joint third in Lausanne Diamond League

Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena secured joint third place at the Lausanne leg of the Wanda Diamond League on Wednesday, August 21 (Thursday, August 22 Manila time).

Obiena achieved a height of 5.82 meters in his first attempt, tying with Norway's Sondre Guttormsen and Australia's Kurtis Marschall.

World no. 1 Mondo Duplantis of Sweden won the tournament by setting a new meet record of 6.15 meters, improving on the previous record he set in 2022.

Paris silver medalist Sam Kendricks placed second with a height of 5.92 meters in his first attempt.

Obiena attempted to clear 5.92 meters but failed in all three attempts, marking his first competition since finishing fourth in the Paris Olympics.

The athlete had a brief homecoming in Manila before returning to practice in Italy and is set to compete in the Silesia leg on August 25.

As Obiena continues his path toward physical and mental healing throughout the rest of his season, he will organize a historic World Athletics-sanctioned pole vault event at Makati City's Ayala Triangle Gardens on September 20.