FRAYNE JUMPS FOR JOY
ATHLETICS: A Games record six years in the making for mercurial long jumper Henry Frayne was the highlight of a great athletics session for the host nation at the Commonwealth Games yesterday.
Frayne, 27, has lost count of the number of injuries he’s suffered throughout his career.
Already in 2018, he has battled groin, calf and hamstring complaints.
But when his body doesn’t let him down, as was thankfully the case in the qualifying round at Carrara Stadium, he’s a force to reckon with.
With his only jump, Frayne soared out to 8.34m, bettering his PB of 8.27m set way back in 2012 and also shattering the Games record of 8.30m held by fellow Australian Fabrice Lapierre.
“That wasn’t a 100 per cent jump for me, it was pretty cruisy,” Frayne said. “Hopefully I can add a bit more tomorrow night.”
Six years ago, Frayne was primarily a triple jumper who dabbled in the long jump, although his slew of fitness issues forced him to drop the latter event from his schedule.
“It’s been frustrating to still be defined on paper by my 8.27 mark in 2012, which would have been about my third senior professional long jump comp ever,” he said.
“I’ve known things were improving. My coach, my physios, my manager, we’ve known things were improving, but I haven’t been able to time it right until – hopefully – now.”
Countrymen Lapierre and Chris Mitrevski also qualified for today’s final.
Elsewhere it was a session to remember for rising sprint star Riley Day, who eased into the 200m semis.
Day clocked 23.71 in her heat to join fellow Australians Maddie Coates and Larissa Pasternatsky in the 200m semis.
Big Queenslander Alex Hartmann cruised into the semis of the men’s 200m, finishing second in his heat in 20.66.