Forget Trevon Bromel, Fred Kerley, Ronnie Baker or Andre de Cross. New Olympic 100m Champion, Usain Bolt’s successor, Marcel Jacobs. The 26-year-old from Italy won the final song and field title and dominated the favorites to surprise the Tokyo Olympics.

Raised alone by mother

The story of Lamont Marcel Jacobs, his full name, began in El Paso, Texas, USA. His mother left Italy at the age of 16 to pursue an American soldier who had crossed the peninsula. Three weeks after the birth of Marcel Jacobs, the father was sent to South Korea. This is the end of stupidity and the return of mother and son to Italy.

Until the contact this year, the absence of his father marked the longest life of Marcel Jacobs. Young Marcel divides his life between his mother and the game. He didn’t know how to walk, he was already slipping, Her mother tells Viviana Courier della sera. Bikes and mopeds drove him crazy. He tried everything from swimming to basketball. I wanted him to find an interest. I wanted him to be tired because he didn’t stop moving even when he was asleep.“

The 26-year-old is a long jumper in the crack range

Marcel Jacobs finally moved on to athletics, where his qualities first emerged in the long jump. At a youth meeting, he caught Carl Lewis’ eyes. His personal best: 7.95m outdoors (in 2016), 8.07m indoors. On the other hand, his rise is far from dazzling at a pace. Until this year, the Italian had not fallen below ten seconds. In 2019, at the Doha Worlds, Christian Coleman attended the coronation ceremony after failing to qualify for the semifinals. Before his time at 10:20, two years later it is hard to imagine him stepping on stage in Tokyo.

He won an Olympic title in a sprint. In May 2021, he set the Italian record for the first time in ten seconds at 9 “95. In Monaco, Repolo, in early July, at 9” 99. With the 25th fastest time of the year he is far from the best. But Jacobs crossed a new milestone in Japan, reducing his personal best during the series to 9 “94. In the semifinals, he won the European record at 9” 84. Can the Italian go even further? Yes. In the final, one in four pushed him to the pinnacle of Olympus.

First Saint European after 1992

“It was such a big dream. I do not realize, Reacted after the victory of Marcel Jacobs. This is not a dream, it is real. This is incredible. I told myself ‘You’re in the finals, all out, run fast. Italy only climbed on the Olympic stage in the 100-meter run, with Marcel Jacobs taking her to the top.