A MONTH after ruling the Asian Indoor Championships, Filipino Olympian and Thomasian EJ Obiena delivered a season-best performance to capture the 2026 ISTAF Indoor gold in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Mar. 7.
With Parokya Ni Edgar’s iconic song “Bagsakan” playing in the background, Obiena cleared a season-best 5.78 meters to top the eight-man field.
The world No. 12 entered the fray, clearing 5.60m in his second attempt. He then skipped 5.70m to jump 5.78m in just a single shot.
Norway’s Simen Guttormsen also cleared 5.78m, but settled for silver after needing multiple tries in the previous heights.
Both Obiena and Guttormsen failed to surpass the 5.83-m bar with three attempts each.
Closing the podium were the Netherlands’ Menno Vloon and Germany’s Bo Kanda Lita Baehre, sharing bronze following a 5.70m clearance. F – Ezekiel Bechaida
