Italy’s Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs retained his European 100m crown in Rome on Saturday in the perfect tonic for the upcoming Paris Games.
Jacobs timed a season’s best of 10.02 seconds to claim gold. Italian teammate Chituru Ali took silver in 10.05sec, with Briton Romel Glave claiming bronze in 10.06sec.
After three poorly-attended sessions, there was a sizeable, noisy crowd at the Stadio Olimipico to see the homecoming of Rome local Jacobs, born in the United States to an American soldier father and Italian mother, but raised by the latter in the eternal city since an early age.
He received a vociferous welcome from the baying crowd, acclaiming the applause like a Roman emperor, albeit in blue rather than white.
With a smile, Jacobs turned his focus to the track.
A false start shattered the stillness at the Stadio Olimpico, Ali shown a yellow card as the sprinters moved back to their blocks and got set for the second time of asking.
This time there was no mistake and Jacobs fairly led from gun to tape, although well pushed by Ali and Glave.
A vicious dip at the line ensure Jacobs back-to-back European golds, to the delight of the large crowd.
Jacobs caused an upset when he won Olympic gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
The Italian set an European record of 9.80sec to seal that victory, quickly bagging a second gold as part of the 4x100m relay.
He followed that success up by winning the 2022 world indoor 60m title in Belgrade and the European 100m gold later the same year in Munich.
A series of injuries ensued, but Jacobs has shown his resolve and tellingly changed coach in Olympic year, moving to the United States to work under Rana Reider.
