Obiena places fifth

Pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena finished in fifth place in the Shanghai leg of the Diamond League after going over 5.72 meters at the China Textile City Sports Center in Keqiao, China last Saturday.

Obiena cleared the bar after his second try and aimed to get over 5.82m.

Unfortunately, the world No. 4 failed to tally 5.82m after three tries.

Still, this was a better finish for the 29-year-old after he finished in seventh place in the Xiamen leg of the Diamond League last 26 April where he finished with 5.62m.

World record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden won the Shanghai leg with a height of 6.11 meter while Paris Olympics bronze medalist Emmanouil Karalis of Greece finished in second place with 6.01m.

Menno Vloon of the Netherlands finished in third after clearing 5.82m.

Obiena is gathering points in hopes of making it to the Diamond League final in Zurich in August.

Also, the Asian Games champion is using the first two Diamond League legs as preparation for the Asian Athletics Championships as it starts on 27 May in Gumi, South Korea.

Obiena will look to do better in the Asian tilt after tallying 5.91m in the 2023 edition in Bangkok.