Obiena up against Olympic silver medalists

Italy-based pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena will compete against two Olympic silver medalists in two different tournaments in Europe.

Obiena, 29, will face Paris Summer Games silver medalist Sam Kendricks of the United States at the ISTAF Indoor in Dusseldorf in Germany on Sunday.

Both athletes last met each other at the International Springer-Meeting Cottbus in Germany last January.

Kendricks, who clinched the silver medal in the Paris Olympics last August, won the Cottbus tilt after clearing 5.75 meters.

Meanwhile, Obiena settled for silver after clearing 5.65m.

Also joining this eight-man tournament are home bets Bo Kanda Lita Baehre, Torben Blech, and Oleg Zernikel, American Austin Miller, Ersu Sasma of Turkey and Huang Bokai of China.

At press time, Obiena is competing at the Metz Moselle Athletor in France.

There, the Asian Games gold medalist faces Dutch athlete Menno Vloon, Ben Broeders of Belgium, Ioannis Rizos of Greece, Dan Barta of the Czech Republic, Keaton Daniel of the United States, and Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and American entry Christopher Nilsen.