Flames shot up inside the arena as Marcell Jacobs blazed across the finish line to announce his return to the track earlier this month. It’s been a curious path for the Italian since his meteoric 2021 from barely squeezing into the sub-10 club to emphatic 100m Olympic gold.
Whispers have swirled around the legitimacy of the 27-year-old’s transition from former long jumper to the fastest man in the world. And the speculation intensified when Jacobs disappeared into a puff of smoke after surprisingly emerging as track’s next superstar in Tokyo. Shunning bumper Diamond League cheques and walking off into the sunset after his double gold triumph - including the thrilling relay win for Italy - was some statement.
