Obiena finishes joint-3rd in Lausanne Diamond League

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Filipino pole vaulter plunged back into action in his first tournament since the Paris Olympics and even fared better, finishing joint-third in the Lausanne Diamond League meet on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).

Obiena cleared 5.82 meters on his first try to share the bronze medal with Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen and Australia’s Kurtis Marschall in the tournament. 

The 28-year-old Filipino opened his stint by overcoming 5.62m, bypassing 5.35m and 5.52m, as well as 5.72m. He failed to clear 5.92m.

EJ Obiena Diamond League 5.82 cleared

Go EJ ????????????

pic.twitter.com/33mFeya01Y

He narrowly missed the podium in Paris, ending up at fourth place, and his bronze finish on Wednesday should serve as a confidence-booster as he resumes his career.

Meanwhile, Swedish star Armand Duplantis picked up from where he left off at his world record-setting, gold medal-winning showing in Paris by dominating Wednesday’s tilt — the first on World Athletics' elite circuit since th recently concluded quadriennial games — for another gold.

Duplantis defended his Olympic gold in the Stade de France in some style, improving his own world record to 6.25m.

In Lausanne, the Swede took part in a City Event held on an esplanade bordering Lac Leman — better known in English as Lake Geneva — 24 hours before the main fare at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.

The runway was raised off the tiled walkway, with thousands of fans packed in just meters away, the bar and landing mat placed under a circular tarpaulin, big screens allowing yet more passers-by a view of events.
It was once again Duplantis streets ahead of the competition, winning with a best vault of 6.15m.

"I'm really happy about it. I had a really good time. It was really nice to step out on the track," Duplantis said.

"I don't want to say that I was worried, but it's always a bit of a question mark, I guess, the next meet after something like the Olympics, mentally.

"The past two weeks, it's been hard to wake up. Not in a mental way, not in that way, but very tired mentally, just exhausted, even this morning."

Duplantis said the difference between Olympic gold at the Stade de France and winning a City Event