Former American sprint star Justin Gatlin has come to the defense of Lamont Marcell Jacobs as the Italian sprinter gears up to defend his Olympic 100m crown at the Paris 2024 Olympics this August.
Jacobs, who shocked the world by winning gold in the 100 meters at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games with a European record of 9.80 seconds, has faced significant skepticism and criticism.
His unexpected victory, followed by another gold in the 4x100m relay, left pundits questioning the legitimacy of his achievements. Before 2020, Jacobs had never broken the 10-second barrier and had only one notable title, the European indoor 60m gold.
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Following his success in Tokyo, Jacobs withdrew from high-profile Diamond League meets in Eugene, Brussels, and Zurich, citing fatigue and a knee problem.
His performances since then have been unconvincing, including a failure to make the final of the World Championships in Budapest. Recently, he won a meet in Rieti with a time of 10.8 seconds, further fueling doubts about his chances in Paris.
However, Jacobs showed a glimpse of his potential by clocking 9.92 seconds to win the 100m at the Paavo Nurmen Games in Turku, his fastest time since Tokyo.
Speaking on his Ready-Set-Go podcast, Gatlin offered insights and support for Jacobs, emphasizing what he needs to do to regain his form for Paris.
