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| EJ Obiena is the first Filipino to Paris next year. Reuters (file photo) |
MANILA—Nearly 100 years after a trackster first represented the Philippines in the Summer Olympics, the country's centennial of Olympic participation has been assured.
EJ Obiena became the first Filipino to book his place in next year's Paris Olympics after clearing the minimum qualification height in just his first event within the qualifying period, the Stockholm leg of the Wanda Diamond League early Monday (Philippine Time).
Obiena cleared exactly 5.82 meters on his second try to qualify for the Olympiad.
He eventually took home the silver medal behind eventual champion Mondo Duplantis, who cleared 6.05 meters at a maximum.
Obiena, who finally breached the six-meter mark last month, tried to go for 5.95, but he fouled on all his three attempts.
However, Obiena gains a chance to bounce back from a poor finish during the 2021 edition in Tokyo.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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