Obiena finishes sixth in Lausanne meet


Ernest John Obiena settled for sixth place in the Lausanne leg of the Diamond League after clearing 5.81 meters at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Switzerland on Friday.
The 30-year-old Filipino pole vaulter needed two attempts to clear 5.81m before making three unsuccessful tries at 5.91m, which would have equaled his season-best mark.
Armand Duplantis of Sweden dominated the competition, soaring to a new meet record of 6.21m to claim the gold medal.
Emmanouil Karalis also put on an impressive showing, clearing 6.16m to finish second, while Australia’s Kurtis Marschall took third place after clearing 5.91m.
Obiena recently reached a season-best 5.91m at the Golden Sand meet in Międzyzdroje, Poland, marking his first clearance above 5.90m since 2024.
Obiena is expected to shift his focus to his upcoming major assignments, including the World Athletics Ultimate Championships and the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, where he will look to defend the gold medal he won in Hangzhou in 2023.