Marcell Jacobs Wins Olympic 100-Metre Gold

Marcell Jacobs has won the first post-Bolt Olympic 100-metre gold medal. He timed a European record of 9.80 seconds.

What happened?

The Italian sprinter outshone a field of unusual suspects to claim the gold. The athletes were introduced in a dramatic light show. The stadium floodlights were shut off and 12 projectors cast 3D images of the world. Jacobs, 26, made a good start and powered through to the line.

Why it matters for Marcell Jacobs

This win breaks retired Jamaican star Usain Bolt's 13-year hold on the event. Jacobs' main claim to fame was a European 60m indoor title earlier this year. He has now become a major player in the sprinting world. The field was filled with relatively unknown sprinters.

What comes next?

The Tokyo Olympics are the first since Athens in 2004 to take place without Bolt. The emergence of a new generation of sprinting hopes has been missing since Bolt's retirement in 2017. Many have been lauded as the athlete to fill Bolt's spikes, but no one has yet lived up to the expectation. Jacobs joyously ran into the arms of Italian teammate Gianmarco Tamberi. The race was run in stifling temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius. The 68,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Tokyo had no cheering fans due to coronavirus restrictions. The event had a distinctly underwhelming build-up and feel to it. Jacobs' win has brought excitement to the track and field world. He has set a new European record with his time of 9.80 seconds on August 1, 2021. The Italian sprinter has made history with his gold medal win.