EJ Obiena misses pole vault finals in 2025 World Athletics Championships

After back-to-back podium finishes, Olympian and pole vaulter EJ Obiena missed the finals of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

On Saturday, Obiena cleared 5.55 meters to finish in joint 18th place along with Matej Š?erba of Czechia and Oleksandr Onufriyev of Ukraine.

Obiena competed in Group A, alongside the likes of world record holder Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and Greece's Emmanouil Karalis.

The Filipino Olympian skipped the opening height of 5.40 meters before clearing 5.55 on his first attempt.

However, he failed twice at 5.70, then opted to pass on his final attempt at that height and move up to 5.75 meters. Unfortunately, he failed his first attempt at 5.75, giving him three consecutive failed clearances and ending his campaign at the World Championships.

Only those who cleared 5.80 meters, or at least ranked among the top 12 out of 36 total competitors from the two qualification groups, advanced to the finals.

Duplantis, Karalis, American Sam Kendricks, and Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen all finished joint first with a clearance of 5.75 meters.

Obiena previously claimed bronze in the 2022 edition and silver in the 2023 World Championships.

Prior to this, he copped bronze in the World Athletics Continental Tour.

He is set to return to the Philippines soon as he spearheads the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge on September 21.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News