Olympic champion Jacobs eyeing sub-10 second time in Rome return

Marcell Jacobs is confident that he can dip under 10 seconds as he returns to Italy for his first European 100 metres race in the build up to his Olympic title defence in Paris this summer.

Italian Jacobs, who stunned the athletics world three years ago with two golds in the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games, is racing at the 'Sprint Festival' in Rome on Saturday, beginning a run of competitions before the Games which begin on July 26.

"If everything goes as well as possible then yes I can, given how I've been running in my most recent training sessions. But you have to it on the track," Jacobs told reporters when asked if he could run under 10 seconds this weekend.

Saturday's meet is one of several Jacobs is to take part in before the Olympics after arriving in Europe from his base in Florida.

Assuming he doesn't have any more injury issues Jacobs will compete in Ostrava on May 28 and the Oslo Diamond League events two days later, ahead of defending his European 100m title in the Italian capital next month.

Jacobs will then defend his 100m and 4x100m relay Olympic crowns in Paris, where he says he believes he can reclaim gold.

"I go on the track to run faster then the rest and win everything I can, I won't hide that," said Jacobs.

"But I don't have a time in mind, I just want to perform as best I can, get into the finals which is what really matters because once you're there you know that anything can happen."

Jacobs, who is also 60m world champion, has struggled with a series of muscular problems and flopped at last year's worlds in Budapest where he was eliminated in the semi-finals.

He is happy with his radical decision to move from Italy to the United States to team up with coach Rana Reider, whose Florida training group also includes American Trayvon Bromell, Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse and Japanese sprinter Abdul Hakim Sani Brown.

Jacobs came second over 100m to Bromell, the two-time world bronze medallist, in an opening run-out in his home town of Jacksonville last month.

"These last few months away from it all have allowed me to get back in touch with myself, with what I really want from life and from the track," added Jacobs.

"I remember when I was a kid and I went on the track, it was a perfect world where I was happy... it had got to the point where it wasn't like that anymore.

"Right now I can say that I'm happy, at peace, carefree and that I'm doing what I love most. I'm enjoying it."

td/dmc