Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs, the reigning Olympic 100-meter champion, is gearing up for his first race of the year next month and is set to participate in May’s world relay championships, as revealed by Jacobs himself to Gazzetta Dello Sport on Tuesday.
“I anticipate starting my season around mid-April with one or two 100m races, although nothing is set in stone yet,” stated Jacobs, who has been honing his skills in Jacksonville, Florida under the guidance of American coach Rana Reider.
In Florida, Jacobs has found a conducive environment for training alongside notable athletes like American sprinters Trayvon Bromell and Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse, as well as Japanese sprinter Abdul Hakim Sani Brown.
Reflecting on his training experience, Jacobs expressed satisfaction with his progress, noting improvements in strength, technique, and execution within just five months. “Training alongside champions has been invaluable. While I feel positive about my preparations, ultimately, it’s the performance at the Olympics that will define my satisfaction,” Jacobs emphasized.
Jacobs is poised to defend his Olympic title in the 4x100m relay at the upcoming world relay championships, where he’ll aim to replicate the success he achieved in Tokyo. With plans to return to Italy around May 18-20 ahead of the summer Games, Jacobs will be stationed in Rieti, located north of Rome.
Upon his return to Europe, he is scheduled to participate in various meetings, including the Ostrava event on May 28 and either the Oslo or Stockholm Diamond League competitions on May 30 and June 2, respectively. His schedule also includes the European Championships in Rome in June.
Having captivated the athletics world with his remarkable performance in Tokyo three years ago, Jacobs added to his accolades by clinching the world 60m title and the 100m European title in 2022.
However, he faced setbacks due to muscular issues and endured a disappointing performance at last year’s world championships in Budapest, where he failed to advance beyond the semi-finals.
