EJ takes bronze as Duplantis soars for gold

MANILA, Philippines — Just a few days after his breakthrough effort in Bergen, Norway, Filipino EJ Obiena came face to face with pole-vault king Armand “Mondo” Duplantis.

But Obiena failed to unleash the same form he had last Monday and settled for the bronze in the Oslo Diamond League’s Bislett Games that Duplantis of Sweden almost effortlessly topped.

In his first meeting with Duplantis after he barged into the elite six-meter club, the world No. 3 from the Philippines fizzled under pressure and couldn’t duplicate his sensational showing the last time.

Obiena was good for 5.81 meters. The effort came after he ruled the Sparebanken Vest Bergen Jump Challenge with a career-best 6.0 meters, and became the first Asian to accomplish the feat.

Duplantis, as expected, bagged the gold in Oslo with a 6.01m. American world No. 2 Christopher Nilsen took the silver with a 5.91m.

Obiena will have to wait for another chance to slay the dragon.