Diamond League 2023: EJ Obiena misses podium after dead-last finish in Zurich
Posted: 2023-Sep-03 10.10.03 UTC+0800
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EJ Obiena's medal haul this outdoor season ended in the Zurich leg of the 2023 Wanda Diamond League after suffering a rare dead-last finish. PHOTO: EJ Obiena/Facebook
The podium streak ended for Ernest John "EJ" Obiena as he finished 10th in the 10-man field during the 2023 Wanda Diamond League Zurich leg at Letzigrund Stadium in Switzerland early Friday (Manila time).
Obiena won nine medals in as many outdoor competitions, including last week's historic silver medal in the 2023 World Athletics Championships (WAC) in Budapest, Hungary, but couldn't do it this time.
Matching his personal best and Asian record of six meters in WAC 2023, Obiena only cleared 5.60m before failing to beat the 5.75-meter clearance twice.
The first-ever Filipino silver medalist in the World Championships used his last attempt to leap past 5.85m but failed.
Obiena's medal haul began in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in early May in Phnom Penh, Cambodia where he captured his third straight gold medal in the biennial meet.
His recent outdoor success also saw him join the elite six-meter club last June en route to ruling the Bergen Jump Challenge.
Defending back-to-back world champion Armand "Mondo" Duplantis topped the Swiss tiff behind his six-meter clearance.
Duplantis, the top-ranked pole vaulter, tried to surpass his world record of 6.22m by raising the bar to 6.23m but faltered in three tries.
The United States of America's Sam Kendricks settled for silver at 5.95m, while compatriot KC Lightfoot took the bronze upon clearing 5.85m.