Thomasian pole vaulter EJ Obiena claimed his second outdoor gold medal of the season after breaking the meet record at the Raiffeisen Austrian Open in Eisenstadt, Austria, on Thursday, July 2.
Obiena cleared 5.75 meters to win the competition, surpassing his previous outdoor-season best of 5.74 meters set at the Flight Circus meet in Düsseldorf, Germany, in June, while also eclipsing the meet record of 5.74 meters established by American pole vaulter Austin Miller in 2024.
Great Britain’s Owen Heard and the Czech Republic’s Dan Barta completed the podium after both cleared 5.55 meters.
The two-time Olympian entered the competition at 5.45 meters after passing on the opening three heights.
He then skipped 5.55 meters before needing all three attempts to clear 5.65 meters.
Obiena also required all three attempts to clear the winning height of 5.75 meters.
The triumph came just days after Obiena, ranked No. 14 in the world, captured his first outdoor gold medal of the season at the Czesław Cybulski Memorial in Poznań, Poland, on June 29.
