EJ OBIENA continued his improvement after clearing 5.81 meters in the Fly Athens 2026 Street Pole Vault competition at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Greece.
Obiena placed fourth in the event, missing on his third straight title, but registered his best jump of the year, surpassing his season best of 5.78 he set during the ISTAF Indoor in Berlin, Germany.
However, the results in the event organized by Greek pole vaulter and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Emmanouil Karalis is classified as UNC (uncertified), meaning the marks will be excluded from consideration in the world rankings.
UNC is defined as a “road race without an international measurement certificate or if an athlete shoe is not declared or wears non-approved shoes.”
The results in the Athens event are still listed in the World Athletics website.
Nevertheless, Obiena is thrilled to reach the height, his best since he went 5.82 in the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial meet in Poland on August 25, 2024.
A few days before that, Obiena hit 5.90 in the 2024 Paris Olympics, losing the bronze medal to Karalis via countback.
“I have not seen you 5.80 bar in awhile. I have missed you,” wrote Obiena on his Facebook page.
He last hit 5.80 during the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge in Makati last September 21, 2025.
Christopher Nilsen of the United States took the crown with 5.91 meters, winning over Thibaut Collet of the United States via countback. Karalis finished third, winning over Obiena via countback.
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