Fabrice Lapierre will compete for gold in the men’s long jump final at the Rio Olympics

FABRICE Lapierre will be hoping his trademark gold necklace he’s worn since 2010 will bring him more gold when he competes in the final of the men’s long jump.

Australia's Fabrice Lapierre will compete for gold in the final of the men’s long jump at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Picture. Brett Costello

FABRICE Lapierre has the taste for gold ... literally.

The long-jumper’s trademark is having the gold necklace he received from his parents for his 18th birthday in his mouth as he jumps.

He’s been biting down on the chain on takeoff since 2010 after he did it when he produced the biggest jump of his life, a wind-assisted 8.78m in Perth.

On Sunday morning at the Olympic Stadium in Rio, he needs the magic necklace to bring him more gold.

Lapierre is one of the favourites in the event after a career resurrection over the past 18 months that has seen him win silver medals at the world championships in Beijing last year and this year’s world indoor titles.

The normally laid-back jumper, who has lived in the States since finishing high school in Sydney, had some anxious moments in the qualifying after fouling his first jump.

Lapierre then cleared 7.96m on his second jump which was well below the automatic qualifying mark of 8.15m.

His third was even worse so he had a nervous wait to ensure he went through in the top 12 which he did in eighth position — two spots behind his Australian teammate Henry Frayne who had earlier jumped 8.01m.

“I was trying to take it really easy but it kind of backfired, I was taking it too easy, I was scared of fouling and it was all playing on my mind,” Lapierre said.

“I was backing off and just wasn’t getting the jump away.

“Qualifying is always the hardest part, now it’s fun, I can go out there and not worry about anything, just go all out.”

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Lapierre said he expected to get a rocket from his coach, American Dan Pfaff, about his qualifying performance.

“(On the second jump) he said move back 30cm, I did that but then I came down and got scared and messed it up,” he said.

“He’s probably going to yell at me now and tell me off, that’s fine, I’ll be good to go for the final.”

The 32-year-old has been consistently around the 8.20m mark throughout the Diamond League season and is confident he can go one better than the silver medal Australia got through Mitchell Watt at London 2012.

“That (qualifying) is not what I normally do. I’m way better than that so tomorrow I just have to go all out, I’m not going to worry about fouling, just go out and get a better result,” he said.

Frayne’s effort to make his second Olympic final is an achievement in itself giving the horror run of injuries he’s dealt with over the past couple of years.

The Queenslander finished ninth behind Watt in London but has been plagued by back and foot problems ever since.

The 26-year-old says he’s physically ready to do something in the final.

“I think I am in much better shape than that” Frayne said. “Training indicators are that I am in much better shape than 8m, so to jump 7.96, 7.97 and 8.01 is promising in that I don’t think I got anywhere near the board.

“I did it by reaching for the board so in the technical side of things, it was far from how I want to be jumping.”

Great Britain’s reigning Olympic champion Greg Rutherford also had some anxious moments fouling his first two jumps before leaping 7.90m to sneak into the final.

Originally published as Fabrice Lapierre will compete for gold in the men’s long jump final at the Rio Olympics