Olympic champ Marcell Jacobs sets Usain Bolt's 100m world record in sights

"I'd be lying if I said no." With those words, Lamont Marcell Jacobs set out his biggest dream: breaking Usain Bolt's long-standing men's 100m world record.

In an Instagram live with Italy's athletics federation, the reigning Olympic champion in 100m and 4x100m admitted that while Bolt's mark of 9.58 seconds – which has stood since 2009, with Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake's 9.69 the next two closest marks – appeared daunting, it was a task he would like to conquer.

"Of course I think about the record, just like I thought about winning at the Olympic Games," Jacobs said. "I know it's a feat that only one person has achieved, and not many have come close – or not even close, because actually a tenth (of a second) is a lot in the 100m.

"But dreams are meant to be huge, and not setting limits is the best way to overcome them."

Marcell Jacobs sets 2023 objectives and goals

A few days ago, Jacobs shared how he was changing his winter routine and confirmed his schedule for the upcoming 2023 athletics season.

One of the events on his winter calendar was the 2023 European Indoor Championships, which will be held in Istanbul, Türkiye, in March – and he knows exactly what he wants to do: repeat as the 60m champion.

"The 2021 European Indoors launched my streak of victories," Jacobs explained. "Therefore I want to confirm myself as European champion over 60m."

After that, a few bigger goals. With the World Athletics Relays cancelled for 2023, relay qualification for the upcoming year's World Championships in Budapest will now take results from both the 2022 World Championships and the overall performance rankings.

Italy did not qualify for the men's 4x100m final in Eugene, which means the Olympic champions must secure their 2023 spot through their performances this season.

"The goal is the qualify the 4x100 relay for the World Championships," Jacobs said. "We are the Olympic champions and there can't be a World Championships without Italy."

And, individually, there's an obvious hole in Jacobs's collection that he wants to correct this coming year.

After withdrawing from the semi-finals at the 2022 World Championships due to injury, Jacobs is aiming to finally reach the podium at the outdoor championships in 2023.

"The outdoor World Championships, it's the only medal that I'm missing. It's the goal of the year."