Marcell Jacobs: One hit wonder or Olympic legend?

Marcell Jacons shocked the world at the 2020 Olympics, winning gold medals in both the 100m sprint and the 4x100m race for Italy. Now, his achievements are either dismissed, or shown a lack of respect, but why?

Jacobs, who was born in Texas to an American father and an Italian mother, specialized in the long jump until 2019, when he committed his future to the 100m. Despite just two years of practice, and never having broken the 10-second barrier previously, Jacobs broke the European record with an astonishing 9.80 second race in the 100m final, per Barron’s.

Jacobs’ win shocked many in the world of sprinting, with some pointing to an association with a nutritionist investigated, and eventually cleared, of distributing steroids, per reporting by The Guardian.

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Others were concerned by Jacobs’ decision to not cash in on his new-found fame, with the Italian deciding not to race at any subsequent events following his Olympic win. Barron’s claims Jacobs cited knee issues and exhaustion as reasons why he chose to temporarily step away.

Following the Tokyo Olympics, Jacobs spoke up against suggestions of any wrongdoing, telling reporters, “I'm not even bothered by the gratuitous malice about doping”.

Following his career break, Jacobs returned to form in 2022, winning both the world indoor 60m event and claiming his first European 100m title, per World Athletics, showing his Olympic performances weren’t just a fluke.

Despite his various wins since Tokyo, Jacobs has never recovered the speed that drove him to Olympic glory, only running 100m under 10 seconds twice since until recently, per The Guardian.

In an interview with The Guardian in March 2024, Jacobs said, “People’s criticism really hit me hard,” in stark contrast to his previously dismissive tone. Jacobs claims injuries have prevented him from refinding his championship form, saying, “I wasn’t competing because I wasn’t able to,” with a back injury preventing him from competing at the highest level.

Jacobs won another European Championship in June of this year, and claimed, “I had three goals: health, defending the European title and then the Olympic one,” after the race.

Now training with some of the best sprinters in the world in the US, Jacobs seems to have refound some of his Tokyo form, running sub-10 seconds twice in at the Paavo Nurmi Games, clocking a 9.92 in the final en route to victory, per Barron’s.

US sprinting legend Carl Lewis told AFP, “He's definitely one of the top guys I really like,” when asked about the upcoming Olympics. For his part, Jacobs remains calm, telling The Guardian, “Winning a second gold wouldn’t make that much of a change to me and my image,” be sure to tune into the Olympics and catch what could be an exciting series of sprint races.

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