An Olympic medal beckons for impressive Australian long-jumper Fabrice Lapierre, with the veteran declaring he's in the form of his career after notching a fourth Diamond League podium finish.
Lapierre chalked up a third-place finish in glorious Birmingham conditions on Sunday, with his 8.21m first jump enough to get another podium - but not quite enough to reel in the 8.42m leap by American winner Marquise Goodwin, nor second-place Michael Hartfield (8.29m).
While revelling in his consistent run at Diamond League level this year, Lapierre admitted his frustration at not having had everything come together for a monster jump.
Because when it does, he believes, his personal best of 8.40m will be trumped - with 8.50m within his sights.
And it could all come together on the big stage in Rio in August.
"I'm really confident," Lapierre said.
"I've been racking up the podiums and if I keep doing that, then going to Rio with the big stage, the momentum and the adrenaline, anything can happen."
Lapierre already has Commonwealth gold, from Glasgow in 2014, as well as silver from the World Championship.
But an Olympic medal is missing from his collection.
"This is the best I've ever jumped in my life consistency wise," he said.
"When it comes to a major championship (like the Olympics), I'm always going to lift.
"I've got two months to get stronger ... Once I do that, that's when I'll jump my (personal best) jumps - 8.40 and 8.50."
To do that, Lapierre says he will need to hit the gym - which he will do with coach Dan Pfaff in Phoenix.
Lapierre said a lack of time in the gym recently, while he was competing throughout Europe, could be to blame for him.
According to the 32-year-old, his run-up is fine and each step is in time, but on his final jump on Sunday he felt everything had lined up perfectly "but instead of holding my hips up I leant forward".
He estimates the error cost him around 30cm - a significant drop considering the 8.21m he posted.
"It would've been a really big jump," he lamented.
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