World number one Fedrick Dacres heads to the Diamond League meeting in Paris armed with good form and an adjusted technique as he prepares to take on 2017 World Champion Andrius Gudzius in the men’s discus.
Half-way through the Diamond League season, Dacres is one of four men who has already qualified for the finals with wins in Stockholm and Rome. Gudzius, Daniel Stahl and Ehsan Hadadi have also qualified for the final.
The Jamaican, who won the Commonwealth Games title in April, defended his national title in Kingston this past weekend and also boasts impressive wins in Estonia and the Czech Republic.
The win in Estonia, however, came at a cost; a damaged meniscus that could require surgery at the end of the season.
A doctor in New York has cautiously given him the green light to continue competing but some adjustments have had to be made.
“Fortunately, he is good shape despite the challenges brought on by the injured knee and heavy travelling. He will be competitive in Paris despite adjustments made to his technique,” his coach Julian Robinson said.
He explained that the adjustment was made with the injured knee in mind.
“When he recovers, the right leg [injured knee] initially bears all the body weight and that can be very unsettling,” Robinson said.
Dacres will need to be at his best in Paris on Friday, as in addition to Gudzius, he stands to face the likes of World Championship silver medalist Mason Findley, Stahl, and Piotr Malachowski.
Source: Leighton Levy
