Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena in action in the 19th Asian Games. POC-PSC Media Pool.MANILA — EJ Obiena missed the podium in the Diamond League’s Xiamen Leg at the Xiamen Egret Stadium in China on Sunday.

The Filipino Olympian settled for seventh place in the first of the 15-leg tournament that also featured the world’s best in Mondo Duplantis of Sweden, Emmanouil Karalis of Greece, and Menno Vloon from The Netherlands.

The world’s No.4 pole vaulter, who just resumed his stint in the outdoor season, cleared 5.42 meters and 5.62m in two attempts. However, Obiena fell short of clearing 5.72m in his three attempts.

Duplantis went on to rule the tournament after soaring over 5.92m, while Karalis earned silver after he cleared 5.82m

Vloon went past the same height that Karalis cleared, but he finished with bronze due to a countback.

Prior to this tournament, EJ was already 100% healthy and injury-free according to his mother Jeanette Obiena.

He will now look to start his way back to form when the Diamond League runs its Shanghai leg on Saturday, May 3.