ROME – Twenty months ago in Munich the last time under 10 seconds: 9”95that was enough to Marcell Jacobs to also grab the European 100m crown after the sensational exploit of 2021 at the Tokyo Games, when in 90 minutes he clocked 9″84 in the semi-final and the 9″80 that won gold. Tonight the double Olympic champion chases the encore in Europeon paper well within his reach despite the uncertainties manifested in his three seasonal outings, the last of which in Oslo marked by a more comforting 10”03.
After forfeits of the British Zharnel Hughes and Jeremiah Azusilver and bronze respectively at the last European Championship, with the latter the only one to go under the 10″ barrier, one wonders whether the 29-year-old policeman from Brescia will be able to recompose that puzzle on which he has worked so hard since October, since transferred to Florida to the court of sprint guru, Rana Reider. Everything is at stake at the Olimpico, not so much from a European perspective but rather from a Paris perspective, where our player will chase Usain Bolt for his second Olympic title. A feat within a feat with the US arrows, and not only that, champing at the bit, albeit without making too much noise so far. More than the chase for the European crown tonight (semi-finals at 9.10pm and final closing at 10.53pm), it will be interesting to see if Jacobs has found the speed of his supports and a progression that is able to take full advantage of his improved exit from the blocks.
Jacobs-Ali rivalry
It’s not just the clock to keep at bay, though. There is also the new all-home rivalry with the 25-year-old giant from Como Chituru Ali (49 feet and two meters high), which in Castelporziano has recorded significant progress under the judicious guidance of Claudio Licciardello. So far the direct clashes, starting from May 2022 and up to the last one at the Marmi stadium three weeks ago, have recorded a clear 4 to 0 for the policeman. Already in Bavaria, at the European Championship in August 2022, the two had raced together. But after having brought his personal best to 10″12 in the semi-final, a contracture prevented Ali from doing better than eighth place. With the 10″06 clocked on May 3 in Dubai (fourth Italian of all time), however, the financier now boasts the third fastest time among the members. The hope for lovers of the subject is that the podium can be colored blue twice this evening.
But it seems true Ali’s goal is another: to beat Jacobs. «When they ran together at the Marmi, up to 80 meters he was in front, then he broke down, leaving the way open for Jacobs», confesses coach Licciardello. The last outing was in Stockholm when he ran with a meter of wind in his face (third in 10”19), but well ahead of the Japanese Sani Brown. Who only two days earlier in Oslo had preceded Jacobs by 4/100 with 9″99.
Moods
The two will go to the blocks with different moods: Jacobs with the belief that he has taken the right path, aware that the programs developed by coach Reider foresee a peak in form in August; the second with the inner strength of those who are at search for an affirmation who knows he can seize the opportunity that matters. Both will have to seize the moment, which only a friendly stadium can offer, without however underestimating the rest of the company, from the British Romell Glave (10”05) to the Swede Henrik Larsson (dropped to 10”08).
Dispensing optimism on all fronts is the precedent of the first phase of Jacobs’ 2021 pre-Olympic season. When, after his exploit in Savona with the Italian record at 9″95, he arrived in Tokyo with the weight of two defeats on his shoulders, in Stockholm and Monte Carlo. He then set three national records in 24 hours on the Japanese track (9″94 in the heat, 9″84 in the semi-final, 9″80 in the final), thus becoming the first Olympic champion to improve in all phases of the 100m at the Olympics. Even the Bolt phenomenon failed to succeed. Whose statutory grandeur comes to mind when seeing Ali in action.
