Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena captured his first outdoor gold medal of the season after topping the field at the Czeslaw Cybulski Memorial in Poznan, Poland early Monday (Manila time).

Obiena cleared 5.72 meters to secure the gold, outperforming a field of 11 athletes that included four Polish contenders led by world No. 21 Piotr Lisek.

Great Britain’s Owen Heard claimed the silver medal after a 5.60-meter clearance, while Italy’s Matteo Oliveri settled for bronze with the same height, decided by countback.

The victory marks a strong start to Obiena’s outdoor campaign as he continues to build form heading into the peak of the athletics season.

The Filipino athlete also expressed satisfaction online with his performance despite believing he can still improve.

“Happy with the progress,” Obiena said in a social media post.

“The height and numbers are yet to come, but I’m glad to come away with the gold here at Memoriał Czesława Cybulskiego. Thank you for having me. Onto the next.”