MUNICH. The day of truth for Marcell Jacobs has arrived. Within two hours, today, between 8.19 pm of the semifinal and 10.15 pm of the eventual final, the Olympic champion will hunt for the European title in the 100 meters in Monaco, the last great appointment of the outdoor season.
After a troubled year, the Italian sprinter wants to recover everything, putting the disappointment of Eugene’s World Championships behind him, where he was forced to forfeit in the semifinals due to an injury to the great adductor of the right thigh. Paolo Camossi’s pupil took care of the approach to the Bavarian event in every detail. Once the muscular problem has been eliminated, Jacobs is determined to bring back to Italy the European title that is missing from Pietro Mennea’s gold in Prague in 1978. “Ready for the European Championships”, the only words entrusted to the social media of the athlete of the Fiamme Oro, which did not make any statements in the run-up to the event.
The sprinter born in El Paso, affected by a gastrointestinal infection contracted in Nairobi in May which complicated his path towards the summer season, returned to the meeting in Savona where he scored a 10 “04, the same performance achieved in the heats to Eugene. A time trial that allowed him to enter the race directly in the semifinals, where on paper the most insidious opponent should be the French Michael Zeze, who recently raced in 9 “99. The other rivals are not particularly scary and, considering that the first two of each semifinal pass the round (with repechage of the two best times), entering the final should prove to be a simple practice for the Olympic champion, who will also participate in the 4×100 relay. , testifying to full recovery. «Marcell is the Olympic gold medalist and he is here to win, but it is not a race to be taken lightly – Camossi underlined a few days ago – The answers he gave are positive, I trust my eyes and Marcell’s sensations». On the track he will have to contend mainly with the British Zhamel Hughes and Reece Prescod, without forgetting the Turkish Jak Ali Harvey, who boasts a staff of 9 “92 (made in 2016). A Jacobs in shape, however, need not fear anyone. That 9” 80 with which he surprised the world a little over a year ago is there to remind him.
Tamberi, fourth at the Eugene World Championships less than a month ago, will go to the platform at 18.35 for the high jump qualifications. For Gimbo, it also applies to the other Italians Marco Fassinotti and Christian Falocchi, you need to cross the bar at 2.28 meters or be among the best twelve of the qualification.
The day will start early in the morning (8.30) with the 35-kilometer walk in the center of the Bavarian capital. At 21.08 at the Olympic stadium, Yeman Crippa is expected in the direct final of the 5000 meters: the blue could aspire to the podium in the race that sees two favorites, the Norwegian world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the Spanish Mohamed Katir.