Tokyo Olympics: Jacobs drew strength from father to succeed Bolt as 100m king

By Sports Desk August 01, 2021

Marcell Jacobs credited re-establishing a relationship with his father as a key factor in him succeeding Usain Bolt as the Olympic 100 metres champion

Italy's Jacobs stormed to glory in Tokyo on Sunday, winning in a time of 9.80 seconds – breaking the European record of 9:84 he set a few hours earlier in his semi-final.

The 26-year-old, a converted long jumper who only broke the 10-second barrier for the first time in May, exploded out of the blocks to execute the perfect race – leading home Fred Kerley of the United States and Canada's Andre de Grasse, who repeated his bronze from the Rio Games.

The champion on that occasion, of course, was Bolt, and Jacobs conceded it was surreal to be following in the footsteps of an all-time great.

"I think it was 2008, I was on the beach and watched the Olympics on TV. Back then I wasn't really a professional athlete," he told reporters after a glorious night for Italy that also saw Gianmarco Tamberi - who embraced Jacobs at the finish line - claim joint-gold in the men's high jump.

"I think I can recall every race on Usain Bolt, it's incredible I'm here where he was before.

"What can I say it's difficult to compare myself to him. He is actually the face of an entire era of athletics, he changed athletics forever.

"I'm the one who won the gold medal after him, it's unbelievable. But drawing comparisons, I don't think that's the time yet we'll have to see how things pan out in the future."

In the immediate afterglow of his Tokyo triumph, Jacobs reflected on bridges built with his American father upon the advice of a therapist.

"She told me best thing to improve my performance was to establish a relationship with my father," he said.

"We hadn't talked in a long time, we got closer, it gave me energy and the will to do everything I did to be here today.

"I can try to run as fast as possible and, in the end, I was able to fulfil my dream, a dream since childhood. I've won the gold medal and run my best time ever."

In an unusual sequel to the logic-defying Bolt era, 400m specialist Kerley followed the ex-long jumper over the line in an event that had proved impossible to predict over the course of the weekend.

"I always got the last laugh because my decision is my decision, so you've got to keep working," Kerley said, having seen compatriot Trayvon Bromell – the fastest man in the world this year – fail to emerge from the semi-finals.

"Coming from 400 to not my event, coming away with the silver medal, I'm blessed with it."

For De Grasse, who also took bronze at the 2019 World Championships, where his 200m silver matched a second-place over that distance at Rio 2016, it was another near miss despite adding a further medal to his collection.

"I'm surprised a little bit by the time," he said after clocking a personal best. "It's crazy when everyone runs so fast - 9.80 from the Italian guy, I didn't expect that.

"I thought my main competition would have been the Americans, but definitely he came to play. He executed. He did his thing so congrats to him."

Related items

  • UK Athletics bans transgender women from competing in female category UK Athletics bans transgender women from competing in female category

    UK Athletics has banned transgender women from competing in the female categories of their United Kingdom competitions and events.

    The ban comes a week after World Athletics announced their own outlawing of male-to-female transgender competitors who have been through male puberty competing in women's elite events.

    The move received support from former Olympians such as swimmer Sharron Davies and decathlon great Daley Thompson, though it also came under fire from some LGBTQ+ campaign groups.

    Both bans will come into force from March 31.

    "UK Athletics notes the revised World Athletics Eligibility Regulations for Transgender Athletes released on 23 March 2023 and coming into effect on 31 March 2023," a statement read.

    "It is fair for athletes who have gone through male puberty to be excluded from the female category in Athletics.

    "UK Athletics acknowledges and appreciates the efforts made by World Athletics to protect the female category in Athletics.

    "From midnight on 31 March 2023, UK Athletics applies the World Athletics Transgender Regulations to all athletics competitions and events in the United Kingdom where the licence for the competition or event is granted by UK Athletics."

  • World Athletics gets praise and criticism after Coe reveals transgender ruling World Athletics gets praise and criticism after Coe reveals transgender ruling

    World Athletics was accused of "succumbing to political pressure" after ruling male-to-female transgender competitors who have been through male puberty will be prevented from competing in women's elite events.

    There was also praise for its stance, notably from former Olympians including swimmer Sharron Davies and decathlon great Daley Thompson.

    The global governing body for track and field announced its decision on Thursday, and it will come into force from March 31.

    World Athletics said it had spoken to a wide range of stakeholders before reaching its conclusion, with president Sebastian Coe saying: "Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations.

    "We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount."

    Davies responded on Twitter, writing: "Thank you @sebcoe & @WorldAthletics for standing up for female athletes across the world who are worthy of fair sport"

    Thompson added: "@sebcoe & @WorldAthletics have just given me another couple of reasons to love them."

    The LGBTQ+ campaign group Stonewall took a different perspective, stating: "It is so disappointing to see World Athletics announce a unilateral ban on trans women in track and field events. Their own statement recognises that there are no trans women competing at an international level and that they have no specific evidence to justify the ban.

    "We stand with trans people who now have the door closed on their chance to compete in athletic sports at an international level."

    Athlete Ally, a US-based group which states its aim is to "champion LGBTQI+ equality", was also critical of the stance taken by World Athletics.

    Its founder Hudson Taylor said: "We are beyond devastated to see World Athletics succumbing to political pressure instead of core principles of inclusion, fairness and non-discrimination for transgender athletes and athletes with intersex traits.

    "The guidelines announced today go against inclusive guidelines from the International Olympic Committee as well as extensive research showing that transgender women do not have an inherent advantage in sport.

    "Sebastian Coe states that these guidelines are an attempt to protect women's sport, but in fact these guidelines do nothing to address what we know to be the actual, proven threats to women's sports: unequal pay, rampant sexual abuse and harassment, lack of women in leadership and inequities in resources for women athletes.

    "What these guidelines mean on a human level is that a young transgender girl who dreams of one day seeing herself on an Olympic stage will now have those dreams cruelly dashed."

    While World Athletics says it has extensive research on athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD), it says its bank of information regarding transgender athletes is not as great.

    It said: "There are currently no transgender athletes competing internationally in athletics and consequently no athletics-specific evidence of the impact these athletes would have on the fairness of female competition in athletics. In these circumstances, the council decided to prioritise fairness and the integrity of the female competition before inclusion."

  • Revolutionary Olympic high jumper Dick Fosbury dies aged 76 Revolutionary Olympic high jumper Dick Fosbury dies aged 76

    Olympic gold medallist Dick Fosbury, who revolutionised the high jump with his 'Fosbury Flop' technique, has died at the age of 76.

    Fosbury won a gold medal for the United States at the 1968 games in Mexico City using a novel back-first technique that is commonplace among high jumpers today.

    By clearing 2.24 metres with the technique – which he began to experiment with in school – in the event's final, Fosbury set a then-Olympic and United States record.

    Fosbury's agent Ray Schulte confirmed his death on Instagram on Monday, writing: "It is with a very heavy heart I have to release the news that longtime friend and client Dick Fosbury passed away peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning after a short bout with a recurrence of lymphoma."

    USA Track & Field, the nation's athletics governing body, called Fosbury "a true legend and innovator" on Twitter, adding: "Fosbury's legacy will live on for generations to come."

    International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach also paid tribute, saying: "Dick Fosbury wrote unforgettable Olympic history by revolutionising the high jump at the Olympic Games Mexico 1968. 

    "The games would never be the same again after he won the gold medal at those games, 'flopping' across the bar.

    "Dick Fosbury was always true to the Olympic values and served the Olympic movement in a number of functions, including as president of the World Olympians Association.

    "He will forever be remembered as an outstanding Olympic champion. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.