EJ Obiena reasserted his supremacy with his second career gold medal finish at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championship in Pattaya, Thailand on Sunday.
The world's third-ranked men's pole vaulter retained his Asian title right in his first attempt then soared to 5.91m to reset his own continental record.
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Four years since his maiden triumph in the continental tilt, it only took a single attempt to reach the 5.80-m. mark and went a step further for a new 5.91-m Asian record.
Saudi Arabia's Hussain Alhizam (5.56 m.) and China's Huang Bokai (5.51 m.) completed the podium in this year's Asiad.
Upon securing the gold, Obiena tried to eclipse his new personal record of six meters but failed in all three attempts.
His place in next year's Olympics secure, Obiena will have to decide if he'll compete in the Asian Games in September or sit out the event to focus on his Olympic preparations.
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