Astonishing Olympic victor leaves European championship spectators in a frenzy.
At the 2021 Olympics, Marcell Jacobs surprised everyone by winning gold in the 100m sprint. However, he later vanished from the racing scene. Just before the 2023 European Championships in Rome, he made his much-anticipated return and defended the title he won two years ago in Munich.
Jacobs was all smiles and excitement as he posed for photos after his victory, showing his happiness with the cheering crowd. Winning in front of his home crowd in the packed Stadio Olimpico was a much-needed relief for the Italian sprinter, who had experienced a few challenging months. "I'm so happy because I'm improving with each race. I knew I was taking a risk with my comeback," said the Olympic champion after his successful title defense in Italy. "We're moving in the right direction."
Jacobs crossed the finish line first in 10.02 seconds, making a triumphant return ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris. His Italian rival Chituru Ali placed second with a time of 10.05 seconds, while the British sprinter Romell Glave clinched bronze with a time of 10.06 seconds. The former German champion, Owen Ansah, also gave a stellar performance, finishing fifth with a time of 10.17 seconds. Robin Ganter from Mannheim also made it to the final but couldn't participate due to a muscle injury.
The 30,000 spectators at the Olympics were ecstatic, especially for the Italians, who had won five titles and eleven medals after just two days of competition.
Jacobs' return to winning ways wasn't a sure thing. He had been plagued by injuries since his Tokyo Olympics triumph in 2021 (where he set a European record of 9.80 seconds). It was challenging to get back under 10 seconds after that historic performance. In 2022, at the European Championships in Munich, he managed to dip below 10 seconds once more, but just barely at 9.95.
"I've made many changes in my life and promised myself that I would bring more joy to Italy," said Jacobs after his Rome victory. He switched coaches and shifted his training base to the United States, working with Rana Reider.
Jacobs' performance in Rome was highly impressive, considering the strong competition from the US with world champion Noah Lyles (9.85 this year) and rising Jamaican star Oblique Seville (9.82), who was named the fastest man of the year. But he was confident in his abilities. He had three goals in mind: Stay healthy, win his European title, and bring home an Olympic gold medal. His impressive showing in Rome undoubtedly boosted his self-confidence as he prepares for the future.
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Marcell Jacobs' victory at the 2023 European Championships in Rome was a triumphant return to the athletics scene, following his absence from the racing scene after the Olympics. Jacobs, who defended his title in the 100m sprint, also participated in the European Athletics Championships in Munich in 2021.
