Clash is costly for Frankis at Europeans (From Southend Standard)

Clash is costly for Gianni Frankis at Europeans

7:39pm Monday 2nd July 2012 in Sport By Chris Phillips

GIANNI Frankis was a frustrated figure after failing to advance to the final of the 110 metres hurdles final at the European Championships yesterday.

Frankis finished sixth in his semi-final with a time of 13.68 seconds, which equalled his season’s best.

But the 24 year-old former King John School pupil felt he would have recorded a faster time had he not clashed with Rasul Dabo during the race.

“The Portuguese runner on the inside hit me as I was going to overtake him and that made me twist and hit a hurdle,” said Frankis.

“I still equalled my season’s best but I would definitely have run faster if that hadn’t happened.

“The positive thing is that I now feel like I am in the right shape to set a new personal best.

“And I feel confident I can do it at the London Grand Prix, which is my next big race.”

Frankis had previously qualified for the semi-finals in Helsinki as a fastest loser after finishing sixth in his heat in a time of 13.71 seconds.

Frankis will run at the London Grand Prix on Friday, July 13, at Crystal Palace and is likely to come up against some of the best sprint hurdlers in the world.