Athletics Australia – News – Lapierre sails to an A-qualifier

Australian long jumper Fabrice Lapierre has leapt 8.25m at the Rice All-comers Meet in Texas to record an A-Qualifier for the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow.
 
Lapierre won his fourth national title in Sydney in April but, with Olympic silver medallist Mitchell Watt pre-selected for the world championships in his event, needed an A qualifier to be assured of selection on the Australian team for Moscow.
 
Jumping in Texas today Lapierre reached the A standard of 8.25m exactly with a legal wind of +1.3 – a performance that should see him on the plane to Moscow when the final team is selected on 29 July.
 
"Fabrice will be automatically selected to compete in the long jump in Moscow after jumping an IAAF World Championships A-Qualifier today and winning the national title earlier this year,” said Athletics Australia Chairman of Selectors Dion Russell.
 
“Although he will not be officially named in the team until the Final Selectors Meeting in late July, Fabrice's performance today rewards his win at the Nationals thanks to the 2013 Selection Policy clearly stipulating the importance of victory in the Trial as part of the Selection Process."
 
Lapierre said his run-up clicked on the day and that it was good to get a big jump out.
 
“Finally got my run up right,” Lapierre tweeted after the meet. “Jumped 8.25 to book my ticket to the World Championships! Feels good to be doing that again!!”
 
The New South Welshman also recorded a legal jump of 8.16m and a foul in his first three attempts in Texas before passing his final three jumps once he had reached the A standard.
 
Lapierre could significantly boost Australia’s top eight prospects at the world championships. A performance of 8.25m at the 2011 IAAF World Championships would have seen Lapierre finish in fourth place and miss a medal by just four centimetres.

 Athletics Australia – News