| Aussie long-jumper the man to beat |
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Illawarra Mercury June 10, 2010 AUSTRALIAN long-jumper Fabrice Lapierre will take world-leading form into round four of the Diamond League in Rome today. After his win in the first of seven men's long jump competitions on the all-new Diamond League calendar in Shanghai last month, Lapierre will again be the man to beat in the Italian capital. He claimed the International Association of Athletics Federations world indoor title in Doha in March and the Australian crown - with a massive, wind-assisted leap of 8.78m - in Perth the following month. He then bested a strong field in Shanghai - including world champion Dwight Phillips from the United States - winning with an 8.3m jump. Texas-based Lapierre will again face Phillips in Rome, and reigning Olympic champion Irving Saladino, from Panama. "I'm feeling great and I'm confident I can go out there and produce an even better result than in Shanghai," said Lapierre. "It will only take what I've already been doing this year to win it." Lapierre is the only Australian competing in Rome. Fellow Australians Steve Hooker (pole vault), Sally Pearson (100m hurdles) and Eloise Wellings (5000m) are all entered for the following Diamond League meet, which is to be held in New York on Saturday |