MANILA, Philippines – EJ Obiena posted an outdoor season-best mark and finished joint third in the Irena Szewinska Memorial in Bydgoszcz, Poland on Tuesday, June 6 (Wednesday, June 7, Manila time).

The Filipino pole-vault star cleared 5.72m to share the bronze with Rio de Janeiro Olympics bronze medalist Sam Kendricks of the United States as he gears up for the qualification period for the 2024 Paris Games.

Both Obiena and Kendricks used up a single attempt in each of their previous heights before they bowed out with three fouls apiece at 5.82m.

Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Chris Nilsen of the United States claimed the gold by soaring a season-best 5.92m, besting home bet Piotr Lisek who settled for silver with 5.82m, also a season-best vault.

A month since completing a three-peat in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, Obiena turns his focus on punching his ticket to Paris for his second straight Olympic appearance.

The 27-year-old from Tondo, Manila needs to surpass the entry standard of 5.82m in any competition organized or authorized by the World Athletics to secure his place in Paris when the Olympic qualification period opens in July 1.

Obiena, who holds the Asian record of 5.94m, hurdled that height in four indoor events earlier this year, including a 5.91m clearance in February when he bagged bronze in the Mondo Classic in Uppsala, Sweden.

For now, though, the world No. 3 has two more tournaments lined up for the next two weeks when he competes in the Bergen Jump Challenge and Oslo Bislett Games in Norway on June 10 and 15, respectively. – Rappler.com