Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs withdraws from Track & Field Worlds 100m semi-finals
The surprise winner of the men's 100m gold at Tokyo 2020 Tweeted that he has been "forced to stop" due to the risk of developing a more serious injury
Athletics
Italy's Marcell Jacobs has withdrawn from the men's 100m semi-finals at the 2022 Track & Field World Championships. The reigning Olympic champion, who became the first Olympic men's 100m winner in the post-Usain Bolt era, wrote a message on Twitter explaining that he would not compete for fear of risking a more serious injury.
Jacobs has suffered with both injury and illness this season but had come through his 100m heat on Friday to qualify for the semi-finals in a time of 10.04.
However, this latest setback means he will not be able to aim for a third major title in a year, after his wins at Tokyo 2020 and the 60m competition of the World Athletics Indoor Championships that took place in March.
The 100m semi-finals and final are both due to take place on Day 2 of the World Athletics Championships that are taking place in Oregon, USA.
With Jacobs out of the running, the favourites for the race include the USA's Fred Kerley, Trayvon Bromell, Marvin Bracy and Christian Coleman, as well as African record holder Ferdinand Omurwa and the Jamaican pairing of Yohan Blake and Oblique Seville.
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