EJ Obiena and the Philippine athletics contingent wrapped up their campaign at the World Athletics Indoor Championships 2026 this weekend, facing stiff competition from the world's elite at the Arena Toruń.

Obiena Takes Joint-Ninth in Pole Vault Final

Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena finished in joint-ninth place in the men’s pole vault final on Sunday (Philippine time). Obiena successfully cleared 5.50m and 5.70m on his opening attempts but was unable to find his rhythm at the 5.85m mark, missing all three tries.

The event was dominated by Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis, who further cemented his legendary status by setting a new championship record of 6.25m.

Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis secured the silver with a 6.05m clearance, while Kurtis Marschall of Australia took bronze, reaching a personal best of 6.00m.

Tolentino and Sprint Duo Fall Short of Semis

In the track events, the Philippines' representative in the hurdles and sprints faced a gauntlet of world-class speed:

• John Cabang Tolentino: Competing in the Men’s 60m Hurdles, Tolentino clocked 7.77 seconds to finish fourth in his heat. While a solid effort, it was not enough to advance to the semifinals, placing him 30th overall in the field.

• Jessica Laurance: In the Women’s 60m, Laurance posted a time of 7.37 seconds. She finished 37th overall out of 51 competitors.

• Zion Corrales Nelson: Also competing in the Women’s 60m, Corrales Nelson registered a time of 7.44 seconds, ending her campaign at 42nd overall.