Marcell Jacobs Returns to Racing

Marcell Jacobs, the Olympic 100-meter champion, has been flying under the radar since his win in Tokyo.

What happened to Marcell Jacobs?

He has been dealing with a series of physical issues, including an injured thigh muscle, and hasn't won many races in the past two years. Jacobs withdrew from the semifinals at the 2022 worlds and didn't qualify for the final at worlds last year.

Why the lack of results?

The injuries led Jacobs to drop his longtime coach, Paolo Camossi, and move to Jacksonville, Florida to work with experienced coach Rana Reider. Reider said they've been trying to figure out why Jacobs was carrying so many injuries for so many years.

What's next for Marcell Jacobs?

Jacobs hasn't been bothered by physical issues in his four races since April, with times of 10.11 seconds in Jacksonville, Florida on April 27, 10.07 in Rome on May 18, 10.19 in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on May 28, and 10.03 in Oslo, Norway, on May 30. But the times are still a long way off the 9.80 he won with in Tokyo. Jacobs also helped Italy to gold in the 4x100 relay in the Azzurri's breakout performance in Tokyo. He became an instant celebrity at home, but still flies under the radar internationally. Nicoletta Romanazzi, Jacobs' mental coach, said they spoke a lot about the criticism after his win, but it hardly bothered him. Jacobs is now focused on arriving at the Olympics and winning again, without feeling the need to win all the races. He will face tough competition, including American sprinter Noah Lyles, who swept three golds at last year's world championships. But Jacobs is confident in his preparation and his ability to stay under the radar and do his own thing.