MANILA, Philippines – Pole vault world record holder Armand Duplantis has been practically untouchable, but that does not mean EJ Obiena will stop trying.

Obiena said he will continue to challenge the Swede star after they became the first two pole vaulters to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics by surpassing the entry standard of 5.82 meters in the BAUHAUS-galan on Sunday, July 2.

Duplantis – who owns the world record of 6.22m – topped the Stockholm, Sweden leg of the Diamond League with a 6.05m vault, while Obiena finished second by hurdling 5.82m.

The feat marked Duplantis’ ninth victory in as many tournaments as he remained unbeaten this year, clearing the six-meter bar in eight of them.

“Mondo is arguably the best to have ever done it. I’m just trying to keep knocking on that door and hopefully one day, it comes,” Obiena told CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk.

Obiena, after all, is the last pole vaulter to beat the mighty Duplantis.

Duplantis had enjoyed a 21-meet win streak that lasted for over a year before Obiena dislodged him from the top with a giant upset in the Brussels Diamond League in Belgium in September last year.

Obiena – the world No. 3 behind No. 1 Duplantis and No. 2 Chris Nilsen of the United States – then became the first Asian to join the six-meter club, fueling hopes that he can contend for a prized Olympic gold in Paris.

“My approach to the game is I want to win. In our sport, the greats are remembered in championships, in the major competitions,” said Obiena.

“I want to collect as many medals as I can and I think it is what would solidify my status as probably one of the best to have ever done the sport.”

“The only way for me to do that is to keep on winning, keep jumping high, keep performing at my best, and strike while the iron is hot,” he added.

Obiena, though, knows he has a long way to go as he admittedly committed “rookie mistakes” in the BAUHAUS-galan.

He cleared an actual height of 5.96m when he surpassed 5.82m, yet he somehow failed at 5.95m, allowing Duplantis to run away with the top prize.

“There are a lot of things that I still need to work on and I’m just going to keep doing what I do and keep working on the things that we need to do,” Obiena said. – Rappler.com