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Tokyo: New dawn in the 100 meters, which has long been monopolized by the United States and Jamaica. The Olympic Stadium yesterday answered the question of who will replace Usain Bolt. Italian Lamont Marcel Jacobs is now synonymous with the world’s fastest jump. In the final, which saw no Jamaican presence, Jacobs ran for gold, blocking the American jump. It took Jacobs 9.80 seconds to become the fastest man in the world.
Kerley Freddick of the United States (9.80 seconds) won the silver. Canada’s Arenda de Grassi (9.84) also won bronze. Britain’s Charnell Hughes was disqualified following a foul start in the final. Johan Blake of Jamaica, who was expected by the world, could not reach the final. He finished the semifinals in 10.14 seconds but was eliminated in the final with a fourth place finish.
It was a magical Sunday night in Tokyo as Lamont Marcell Jacobs virtually came from nowhere and raced away as the fastest man of the Olympics.
With American world leader Trayvon Bromell crashing out in the semifinal and China’s Su Bingtian topping that round in a new Asian record time of 9.83s, many had expected surprises in the final.
Still, none expected Jacobs to come good for he had never won any major 100m title earlier. The race was anybody’s till about 70m when the 26-year-old America-born Italian made his move to stunningly take the gold in an European record time of 9.80s with American Fred Kerly (9.84) and Canadian Andre de Grasse (9.89) picking silver and bronze.
Jacobs is the first Italian to take the 100m title and its was a personal best for all three. It was certainly a dramatic day and a wonderful Italian night, for the men’s high jump produced two gold medallists after Gianmarco Tamberi and Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim finished level at 2.37m after clearing all their earlier heights in their first attempt. They had both failed at 2.39. They were given two options: a jump-off or to share the gold and they decided to go for the latter.
Tamberi shed tears of joy for he had missed the 2016 Olympics with an injury and was in crutches around that time. He brought the cast, that held his leg together then, to the Tokyo track to remind the world what he had been through. Barshim was in tears too, it was the World champion’s first gold after silver in Rio and London 2012.
A few minutes before that, Venezuala’s Yulimar Rojas was screaming in delight after breaking Inessa Kravet’s 26-year-old women’s triple jump World record with 15.67m (old 15.50) in her last effort. She had broken the Olympic record with her first jump, a 15.41. Portugal’s Patricia Mamona (15.01) and Spain’s Ana Peleteiro (14.87) took silver and bronze.
Marcel Lemont Jacobs of Italy wins ‘King of Speed’ title at Tokyo Olympics She completed the 100 meters in 9.80 seconds. The silver medal went to American Fred Kerley. He also won a bronze medal for Canada’s Arenda de Gross.
