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Lapierre records longest jump by an Australian, defeats Saladino
Assisted by a strong tailwind, reigning national champion Fabrice Lapierre has leapt a massive 8.57m, the best by an Australian in any conditions, to win the long jump competition at the Madrid Grand Prix in Spain overnight.
Fellow in-form Australian Mitchell Watt continued his rapid rise, finishing fourth with his giant 8.38m jump which was assisted by an illegal tailwind of +2.8 m/s.
The Australian pair took advantage of the favourable conditions to also record massive legal personal bests which elevated them to second and third positions on the Australian all-time list.
Lapierre, 25, fouled on his first two attempts, before unleashing his 8.57m (+3.6) monster to defeat Olympic silver medallist Godfrey Mokoena of South Africa (8.50m +1.3) and reigning Olympic and world champion Irving Saladino of Panama (8.43m +4.0).
View the footageOn his fourth attempt, Lapierre landed a new lifetime best of 8.35m (+1.3), a six centimetre improvement on his previous best of 8.29m produced at the national championships back in March.
The leap moves him to second position on the Australian all-time list behind Jai Taurima's 8.49m jump at the Sydney Olympics.
Twenty-one year-old Watt moves up to third on the Australian all-time list, his 8.34m (+2.0) jump on his fifth attempt a 17 centimetre improvement on his previous best of 8.17m set on the Gold Coast in March.
In addition, the pair also move to no.6 and no.7 respectively on the 2009 world list.
It was the first time in his career that Lapierre had defeated Saladino, the enormous jump and victory a timely confidence booster ahead of the world championships which commence in less than six weeks time.
Saladino was the first Panamanian to capture an Olympic gold medal in any sport last year in Beijing.
The 26-year-old enjoyed a winning streak of 21 consecutive victories from July 2006 to May 2008, however he suffered his first defeat on June 7 in Eugene when USA’s former Olympic and world champion Dwight Phillips broke his streak with his leap of 8.74m.
Former Australian Olympic long jumper David Culbert believes Lapierre, who won the IAAF World Athletics Final last year, and the emerging Watt are demonstrating the type of form which could elevate them into medal contention at the world championships in Berlin next month.
“Anyone that saw Lapierre and Watt compete at the national championships this year would realise that these results are not a surprise,” said Culbert, the Olympic and World Championship long jump finalist who twice won Commonwealth Games silver medals.
“It wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that there could still be improvement to come.
“Both boys have been consistently jumping well over eight metres this year, which definitely elevates their chances at the world championships in Berlin.
“As always the first task is to get out of the qualifying round and make the final, but with both of them consistently jumping over eight metres it certainly helps.
“For Lapierre to beat the reigning world and Olympic champion is a significant achievement.
“Saladino and Dwight Phillips have been dominating this year and have even talked about breaking Mike Powell’s 8.95m world record.
“Watt demonstrated with his 10.37 second 100m run on the Gold Coast last month that he has the speed, which he’s obviously now learning to control. I think it’s the case of watch this space with him also.”
In other Australian results, Madeleine Pape posted her second world championships B qualifier in the women's 800m, placing sixth with 2:00.70. The race was won by Hasna Benhassi (MAR) who clocked 1:59.03.
Pape, who has already been selected in the women's 4x400m relay team for Berlin, will now turn her attention to the world university games which commence in Belgrade on Tuesday.
The next major meet on the highly-competitive European circuit will be the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Lausanne on Tuesday night, featuring the big guns of Australian athletics Jana Rawlinson (400m hurdles), Steve Hooker (pole vault), Sally McLellan (100m hurdles) and the ever-improving javelin thrower Kimberley Mickle.
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