Fabrice Lapierre has won the Australian Flame their first medal at the IAAF World Championships, soaring to a stunning SILVER in the men’s long jump.
Hitting his best mark of 8.24m in the last of six rounds, Lapierre’s series of efforts were outstanding.
Recovering from a foul on his first attempt, the national champion recorded a 7.85m leap in round two before a bigger 8.10m to ensure his place among the top-eight. A fourth round foul followed, before a huge 8.20m thereafter to move into the silver medal position that he would never relinquish. The gold was won by London 2012 Olympic champion Greg Rutherford.
For Lapierre, the medal tonight marks a return to the dais for the first time since 2010 when he was crowned both IAAF world indoor champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist. The distance of the jump is his best since 2013 and ranks within the top-ten of his career.
Lapierre changed his coaching environment after Glasgow 2014, relocating to Pheonix (USA) to work with the renowned Dan Pfaff. The move has proven to be an inspired choice, with the 31-year-old in arguably the best shape of his career, boasting limited injury and a renewed approach to his training.
Australia has a rich history of success in the men’s long jump, winning four medals in the event across the Olympic Games and IAAF World Championships prior to tonight. The green and gold have also achieved a further eight top-six performances at the IAAF World Championships.
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