EJ Obiena Claims Ninth Gold of the Season in Berlin
EJ Obiena is back on top in Germany.
The Filipino pole vaulter cleared 5.82 meters to win the ISTAF Berlin on August 30, securing his ninth gold medal of the 2026 season. He tried to push higher, attempting 5.97 meters three times, but did not clear the bar.
Belgium’s Ylio Philtjens took second with 5.72 meters. France’s Robin Emig placed third after a countback with Philtjens.
The win ended a rough stretch. Obiena had missed the podium in his three previous meets before Berlin. This was also his fourth ISTAF Berlin title overall, adding to wins at the 2023 outdoor meet and the 2024 indoor edition.
A season of steady climbs
Obiena’s nine golds trace back to January. He opened his indoor season with a win at the International Springer Meeting in Cottbus, clearing 5.77 meters. February brought a gold at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tianjin, his first Asian Indoor title. March added the ISTAF Indoor Berlin crown.
His biggest jump of the year came in August at the Golden Sand meet in Poland, where he cleared a season best 5.91 meters, his highest mark since 2024. Days before Berlin, he placed fifth at the Zurich Diamond League with a 5.90 meter clearance, a result that secured his spot in the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
Brussels, then Japan
The 5.97 meter miss in Berlin cost Obiena a place in the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, set for September 11 to 13 in Budapest. He said Brussels is still an option before he turns his focus to the Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, on September 20, where he will defend the title he won in Hangzhou in 2023.
Obiena also addressed the meet itself, saying the atmosphere in Berlin did not sit well with him this year. He noted disruptions on the track affected the pole vaulters and said past editions had handled runway timing better.
