EJ Obiena Opens 2026 Season as Joint Winner at Cottbus Meet

Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena (right) and Dutch athlete Menno Vloon share top honors at the Internationales Springer-Meeting Cottbus after finishing as joint winners. Photo from Springer Meeting website.

Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena opened his 2026 indoor season with a strong performance at the Internationales Springer-Meeting Cottbus, one of Europe’s established indoor pole vault competitions and a World Athletics Tour Bronze-tiered event.

Obiena finished as joint winner after clearing 5.77 meters in the men’s pole vault, sharing the top spot with Dutch vaulter Menno Vloon. The International Jump Meeting took place on January 28 (January 29 Manila Time) at the Lausitz-Arena in Cottbus, Germany. The competition drew elite international athletes and is a regular fixture on the European indoor athletics calendar.

At the meet, three athletes cleared 5.77 meters, drawing loud applause from the crowd. Two-time world champion and defending Cottbus champion Sam Kendricks of the United States required three attempts to clear the height and finished third overall.

Obiena and Vloon both cleared 5.77 meters on their second attempt and remained tied after neither athlete cleared 5.84 meters in three tries. A jump-off followed, with both vaulters again attempting 5.84 meters for a fourth time. Neither cleared the bar, officially confirming them as joint winners. Event organizers noted this marked the first time in Cottbus history that two athletes shared the top position.

The result marked Obiena’s first win of the 2026 season and built on his strong showing at the same meet in 2025, where he placed second. Obiena is a Filipino Olympian and the Asian Athletics pole vault record holder, distinctions that underscore the significance of his early-season form.

In a post shared on his official social media account after the competition, Obiena wrote: “First win 🥇 of the season with a new season’s best of 5.77m. Brick by brick 🧱 we build.” He also shared that his theme song during the meet was a track by Parokya ni Edgar, a subtle nod to home while competing abroad. In his winner interview at the event, Obiena thanked the crowd for “jamming to a Filipino song.”

According to the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA), Obiena is set to continue his indoor campaign with upcoming competitions in France and China.

With the indoor season underway, Obiena is expected to continue competing in international events as he builds momentum for the months ahead.

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