Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs charges to Olympic 100m crown

John Salvado
Aug 01, 2021, updated Aug 02, 2021

Marcell Lamont Jacobs left rivals in his dust - and his controversial nutritionist too. Photo: Getty

Lamont Marcell Jacobs has become the first Italian to win the Olympic men’s 100m crown.

Jacobs smashed his personal best in the title race with a winning time of 9.80 seconds, setting a European record in the title race on Sunday night.

American Fred Kerley claimed the silver medal in 9.84 and Canada’s Andre de Grasse took the bronze in 9.89, with all three medallists setting PBs.

It was the first Olympic 100m final of the post-Usain Bolt era – and not a single Jamaican qualified for the medal race.

LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS IS THE MEN'S 100M CHAMPION WITH A TIME OF 9.80S!#StrongerTogether | @WorldAthletics | #ITA pic.twitter.com/P8NzVLohms

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 1, 2021

The now-retired Bolt had won the previous three Olympic 100m crowns.

Even in a race with no clear favourites, the 26-year-old Jacobs proved a surprise champion – and his victory came on quite a night for Italy, just a few minutes after countryman Gianmarco Tamberi had tied Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim for gold.

Jacobs was born in El Paso, Texas – the son of an American father and an Italian mother and moved to Italy as a young boy when the US military transferred his dad to South Korea.

He was a long jump specialist for years, and his biggest major success was an indoor 60 metres win at the European Indoor championships.

His path was made easier when American Trayvon Bromell, who came into Tokyo with the world’s leading time and as the odds-on favourite, didn’t even make the final, finishing third in his semi.

Australian Rohan Browning was run out in the semi-finals after finishing fifth in 10.09sec – eight hundredths of a second slower than he clocked in the opening round on Saturday.