EJ OBIENA won the Los Angeles Grand Prix men’s pole vault competition to open his 2024 Olympic season with a bang on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).
Obiena registered 5.80 meters to rule the event held at the Drake Stadium inside the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus.
EJ Obiena wins by 0.10 meters
Obiena, ranked No. 2 in the world behind Armand Duplantis of Sweden, beat Simen Guttormsen of Norway and KC Lightfoot of the United States, who both cleared 5.70 meters.
“5.80m to get things rolling and a bonus win,” wrote Obiena on his social media account.
The Filipino pole vaulter has been based in nearby Chula Vista, California where a world-class training facility is located as he prepares for the Paris Olympics starting July 26.
The indoor season had ended two months ago and 28-year-old Obiena began his outdoor season on Saturday after finishing ninth in the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
His 2024 campaign has been relatively successful as it also saw him break a 29-year-old Asian record when he cleared 5.93 meters in the ISTAF Berlin competition.
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