After back-to-back finishes outside the podium, EJ Obiena is back on top as the Filipino ace unleashed a season-best output to rule the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun, Poland yesterday (Philippine time).

The 29-year-old Obiena cleared 5.80 meters in three tries to emerge victorious in the 11-man field that also featured familiar faces in Piotr Lisek, Sondre Guttormsen, Menno Vloom, and Huang Bokai.

Hometown bet Lisek of Poland took home the silver medal with a 5.70-meter clearance, while Guttormsen of Norway also soared past 5.70 meters but settled for bronze due to countback.

With the win, Obiena was able to recover from his past two competitions that saw him finish outside the Top 3.

The two-time Olympian failed to defend his title at the ISTAF Indoor in Germany after finishing seventh with a 5.55-meter showing before he wound up ninth at the Meeting Hauts-de-France.

This also marked Obiena’s second gold in the new indoor season as he also topped the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlelor with a 5.70 clearance, defeating Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Christopher Nilsen. (GMA Integrated News)