Bitter return for Jacobs, who arrived penultimate in Paris

An evening to forget for the Italian athletics and in particular for that of speed in Paris, in the fourth stage of the Diamond League. First the disqualification of the Italian relay, then the return to the track bitter for Marcell Jacobs who did not go beyond a seventh and penultimate place in 10''21 on the 100 meters won by the American Noah Lyles in 9''97. For Jacobs the time of 10''21. Unforgettable night instead for the Kenyan Faith Kipyegon who broke the world record on the 5,000 meters improving in 14'05''20 the time of the Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey (14'06''62 achieved in 2020), second in tonight's race (14'07''94). Same joy in the final part of the meeting for the Ethiopian Lamecha Girma who has largely exceeded the world record on the 3,000 steeplechase in 7' 52''12.
Getting back on track and starting again to compare with the world's top players was crucial, and in the post-race analysis Jacobs acknowledges: "I'm here without any hassles, and until a few days ago it was not possible. I'm running, in the meantime this is the important thing". The three weeks without work, however, weigh heavily. Returning to a Diamond League stage after almost two years, and returning to the 100 meters almost ten months after the European title in Munich, the Olympic champion plays on the blocks with the camera, smiles, shows himself serene, but when the starter fires the shot is not the Marcell of the best days: If the start-up is not to be thrown away, it is in the acceleration phase and in the launch that lacks brilliance. "I felt my legs become wooden, or rather concrete", the sprinter of the Fiamme Oro will comment on TV on Rai. "A cabbage race. A time I hadn't done for years. You saw a grimace on my face because everyone was overtaking me, I was stiff, almost a month without work I suffered too much". The Jamaican Yohan Blake (10.16), the American Ronnie Baker (10.17), the Ghanaian Benjamin Azamati (10.20) also run away. Behind, eighth, only the French Mouhamadou Fall (10.22). We start from here, in the knowledge that the goal of the year is still missing two abundant months (World Championships in Budapest at the start on August 19th).