Marcell Jacobs wasn’t just a surprise in Tokyo 2020—he was the surprise. But again, why wouldn’t he be? Before May 2021, he hadn’t even dipped under 10 seconds. Six weeks later? Boom—9.80 seconds, an Olympic gold, and the 11th fastest man in history. But because Jacobs doesn’t do things halfway, he doubled down by helping Italy pull off a shocking 4x100m relay win. From underdog to unstoppable, Jacobs went from ‘Who’s that guy?’ to ‘Watch out for him!‘ in record time. Fast forward to 2025, and Jacobs was ready to prove he’s still got it.

Fans were buzzing about the 100m showdown at the Shanghai Diamond League, where Jacobs was set to clash with Letsile Tebogo, the 2024 Olympic 200m champ, and Christian Coleman, the 2019 world 100m king. But just as things were heating up, bad news hit! Marcell Jacobs picked up a thigh injury before his season opener, sidelining him for over a month.

Now, he’s out of both Diamond League legs in China, the World Relays, and the Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo. Fidal’s doctor, Dino Petrucci, chimed in with an update, saying, “Jacobs suffered a muscle injury to the hamstring of his left thigh. I’ve checked the MRI from Miami, and we’re looking at bringing him back to Rome to continue his recovery.” But knowing Jacobs, he’s not just sitting around.

No, he’s already cooking up his next move! Marcell Jacobs is laser-focused on one thing—being in peak condition for the World Outdoor Championships in Tokyo from Sept. 13-21. But let’s be honest, ever since his golden moment in Tokyo 2020, it’s like he’s had a black cat crossing his path. Injuries just won’t quit. Remember him limping off the track in Paris 2024 after giving it everything he had?

Marcell Jacobs misses gold but keeps his championship dream alive

Marcell Jacobs came to Paris 2024 with one goal—to defend his Olympic crown. But in a race where milliseconds mattered, he fell just short, finishing fifth in a 100m final with a season’s best 9.85 seconds. It wasn’t the fairytale repeat of Tokyo 2020, where he shocked the world by taking gold in 9.80. This time, Noah Lyles stole the show with 9.784s, while Kishane Thompson and Fred Kerley edged him out for the other podium spots. But..

Jacobs fought hard just to get there, sneaking into the final as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers after running 9.92 in the semis. But all that effort came at a price, he limped off the track, his body feeling the weight of the grind. Jacobs may not have walked away with gold, but he’s not letting this defeat define him.

“I wanted to be the one celebrating, but my career doesn’t end here,” he said, his determination shining through. And he meant it. But before proving that, another injury struck. But we know Marcell Jacobs knows how to turn heartbreak into fuel. Don’t count him out just yet. After all, there are still 6 months remaining for the World Athletics Championships in the heartland of Japan.

So what if the former gold medalist couldn’t get spring glory? He might as well settle for some gold in Tokyo. And with the level of intent he has shown, that doesn’t seem to be too off the mark.