Filipino Olympian Ernest John “EJ” Obiena returned to winning form, topping the field in the 1st International Pole Vault Meeting at Cathedral Square in Germany on Friday.
Obiena cleared 5.76 meters on his first attempt to top a 10-man field, securing the gold medal in the Halberstadt High-Flying Event.
Seifeldin Abdelsalam of Qatar placed second with a 5.66m effort, while American Cole Walsh finished third after clearing 5.56m.
Germany’s Gillian Ladwig, along with Americans Matt Ludwig and Poland’s Bartosz Marciniewicz, all cleared 5.31m to round out the middle of the standings. Poland’s Filip Kempski and Germany’s Hendrik Hohmann, Lars Urich, and Fabio Wünsche each posted 5.16m marks.
The victory marked a strong rebound for Obiena, one of the world’s top pole vaulters, as he returned to form in the European circuit.
Following the competition, Obiena joined Olympic champion Heike Drechsler in a ceremonial signing of Halberstadt’s Golden Book, capping what organizers described as a historic evening for the city.
