The competition in the track meets has intensified with most participants aiming to achieve their best form for the upcoming Olympics. However, athletes such as Lamont Marcell Jacobs are yet to reach their full potential, which has concerned many supporters with only a month until the mega event.
Justin Gatlin and Rodney A. Green recently discussed the Italian sprinter’s form on their Ready Set Go podcast on YouTube. The four-time world champion went back in time to define a quality that distinguished the 100m winner of the Tokyo Olympics from the rest of the field, even when he appeared to be underperforming.
The Bahamian sprinter began the discussion by pointing out Jacobs’ fourth-place finish in the Oslo Diamond League, which troubled him. He knows the Italian runner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, but something about him appears off this year; yet, Green remains hopeful that he will return to form by posting speeds quicker than 10 seconds.
Gatlin boldly asserts that Jacobs is unlike any other traditional Olympic gold medalist, as his first medal came in an unusual way. The four-time world champion goes on to describe that during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the stadium was completely empty owing to the spread of COVID-19, and despite any cheering from the crowd, he was able to secure the shiny accolade.
While many people believe that Jacobs was not under pressure because of the lack of a crowd, Gatlin instantly contradicts this, stating that a dull environment puts far more stress on an athlete than a large audience. He goes on to discuss the Italian sprinter’s season-long approach, saying:
“I think for Lamont is stay under the radar, keep training hard, keep chipping away at those times, and strike when the iron is hot, because that’s exactly how you became an Olympic champion the first time.”
Gatlin also had a direct message for Jacobs, stating that he wants him to maintain his confidence so that when the proper chance arises, he can demonstrate his full potential to the track world.
There were many questions raised after the Italian’s recent performances, however, he replied to them in his own fashion in the European Championships.
Lamont Marcell Jacobs defending his accolade
The last time Lamont Marcell Jacobs was on the European Championships stage, he won the gold medal in the 100-meter sprint by demonstrating his superiority. However, a lot has changed since 2022, and this season he has left the track world concerned about his lack of peak performance in the sprints in which he has competed.
This uncertainty lingered on him as he entered the 2024 European Championships; however, he proved everyone wrong by blazing through the qualifying rounds and winning the finals with a 10.02 mark. The athlete will undoubtedly need to cross the 10-second mark to compete with the top runners this season, but there are numerous uncertainties and upsets that can occur during such a huge season.
