Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs clocks season's best to win 100m at Roma Sprint Festival 2024
Reigning Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs posted a season’s best time in his second outdoor race of the year in his pet event at the Roma Sprint Festival track athletics meet on Saturday (18 May).
Jacobs dipped ahead of Ali Chituru in an all-Italian men's race to finish on top of the podium in a time of 10.07 seconds. Chituru followed in second clocking 10.11s with Matteo Melluzzo finishing third with a personal best of 10.13s.
Italy’s double Olympic champion Jacobs opened his season at the East Coast Relays in the United States in Florida where he finished second behind Canada's Andre De Grasse. Both men registered 10.11s.
Jacobs, who boasts a personal best time of 9.80s he set in the 100m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021, has not dipped below 10 seconds since August 2022.
The former world indoor 60m champion featured for Italy at the recent World Athletics Relays Bahamas. The defending Olympic champions Italy initially crossed the line in third place but was later disqualified for a changeover outside the zone.
Jacobs announced his split from long-time coach Paolo Camossi at the end of his 2023 season for a move across the Atlantic Ocean to train under the tutelage of Rana Reider in Jacksonville. He hopes to defend his Olympic men's 100m and 4x100m titles at Paris 2024.
