Filipino star Ernest John Obiena kept his composure and some of the momentum he gained from his great performance in the World Championships as he claimed his second straight bronze medal on Saturday in the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, the ninth leg of the Diamond League at the Stadion Śląski in Chorzow, Poland.
The 26-year-old Obiena rose to a height of 5.73 meters on his second attempt to once again finish behind pole vault superstar Armand Mondo Duplantis, who broke another meet record with a successful jump of 6.10 meters for the gold.
This may not be his best jump, but Obiena said before the competition said that he still has the momentum to carry on after earning the bronze medal three weeks ago in the 2022 World Athletics Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
At that time, Duplantis, also ruled the competition and made 6.21 meters in two tries for a new world record and the gold.
This time, Norwegian Guttorsmen settled for the silver after reaching 5.73 in one go.
“There’s this thing called sustained momentum. You need to feel the competition, be inside the competition, and the moment you kinda spaced out, it’s very difficult to get back in,” said Obiena.
Obiena is 21 centimeters off his record-breaking 5.94 meters on his second try in Oregon.
But his father Emerson, who is observing his son’s performance, said EJ is getting comfortable and showing composure at the heights he is now trying master.
“Nandu’n na iyung composure niya,” said the elder Obiena.
The Formia, Italy-based Obiena made efforts to clear 5.83 meters. But he could not do so in three tries.
Polish bet Piotr Lisek took fourth place at 5.63 meters.