Paris Olympics: Marcell Jacobs, Italy’s much-maligned defending 100m champion, back in form
- Tokyo’s surprise winner has been dogged by suspicions and injury, but has won the European title and gone under 10 seconds twice this year
Rarely has an Olympic 100 metres champion been so belittled or so maligned as Italy’s Marcell Jacobs.
It is fair to say the Texas-born Italian stunned the field to snatch gold in the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games, in a European record of 9.80 seconds.
He made it double gold just days later by helping Italy to victory in the 4x100m relay, again a result that left pundits shocked and opened up a Pandora’s box of questions.
A former long jumper, Jacobs had vastly improved his 100m times that season under then-coach Paolo Camossi. Before 2020, Jacobs had never gone below the 10-second barrier and his sole title of note was European indoor 60m gold.
But after his stunning success in Tokyo, Jacobs went off the radar, pulling out of the high-profile Eugene, Brussels and Zurich Diamond League meets, citing fatigue and a knee problem.
His conspicuous absence raised eyebrows. Being the men’s Olympic 100m champion carries kudos, attracting meet organisers and sponsors alike, and to go AWOL did not chime well with traditionalists.
