Track & Field Legend Hopeful for 2X Olympic Gold Medalist After Disappointing New Balance Grand Prix Opener

Decline is always the hardest part of an athlete’s journey. One moment, you’re on top of the world, and the next, you are history. And Marcell Jacobs might have something to say on this. The Italian sprinter, who wowed everyone in Tokyo by winning 2 Olympic golds, is having a hard time regaining his old speed. His struggle seems to be continuing, as he failed to win at the NB Grand Prix despite reaching the finals.

He finished fourth with a time of 6.63 seconds. Noah Lyles, Terrence Jones, and PJ Austin all blew past Jacobs, who seemed like a shell of his former self. But what is plaguing the once-champion? Lack of practice? Confidence issues? If the numbers are to be believed, his speed has taken a major hit. He has failed to break 6.55 indoors since 2023. This also left him 0.11 seconds slower than the No. 1 Lyles in the finals.

But sprinting maestro Justin Gatlin might have his two cents on this issue. In his Ready Set Go podcast, Gatlin sat down with Bahamian icon and co-host Rodney Green to discuss what might be wrong with Marcell Jacobs. Green started the discussion with his take on Jacobs. He said, “But I know who didn’t look like themselves, and it was, um, the former Olympic champion, Lamont Marcell Jacobs. I’m very concerned with how he ran his race—no disrespect to him, you know what I mean—but I was very concerned.”

Gatlin soon chimed in, saying, “I was looking for more from Jacobs because of how he ended his season last year, running that 9.85 at the Olympics, you know what I mean? It showed, like, Oh, oh, you might be back. This dude’s dropping them 9.8s now—he might be back.” But while the 5-time Olympian seems curious, it is yet to be seen if Jacobs will have his resurgence. After all, despite being the 2021 gold medalist in the 100m and 4x100m, he failed to win anything in 2024 Paris. He ended up fifth with a time of 9.85.

But while his Olympic stash remained empty, his other performances left some hope. He ran 9.93 in Chorzów and 9.92 in Turku. Post-Olympics, he clocked 10.12 in Bellinzona, closing out a season that saw highs and missed opportunities. Fast forward to 2025; he hasn’t started this season that well, but Gatlin shares some inputs.

“So, coming into the season, been real quiet, you know what I mean? We know he’s been training. We see a couple, you know what I’m saying, montages of him training,” Gatlin said. The four-time champion also shared his thoughts on what the Italian might be struggling with. Gatlin said, “But my thing is—and it’s just a question—do you think that he gets caught in his rhythm? Because it seems like he runs, and he hits a certain rhythm, and he doesn’t change gear, right? cadence of”

Green responding to that said, ”So, I—that’s—that’s definitely how it looks. I could definitely say that when he was running. And let’s remember, uh, Lamont Jacobs is somebody that ran 6.41, which is third fastest all time. Very swift, you know what I mean.” And while the pundits have given him the benefit of the doubt, it is yet to be seen what is next for Jacobs.

Marcell Jacobs braces for a demanding season

For Lamont Marcell Jacobs, 2025 might be a year of redemption as he prepares for a demanding season. The Olympic 100m champion will face an intense campaign this year, culminating in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo from September 13-21.

Jacobs probably will run in 100-meter races in Rome (June 6), Paris (June 20), Monaco (July 11), and London (July 19). The Lausanne (August 20) and Zurich (August 27-28) meets might serve as key final prep for the World Championships.

Jacobs could not finish on the podium in 2023 in 1o0m but secured silver in the relay with Italy. Now, finally, he gets up with a chance at redemption in Tokyo. The place where he shocked the world in 2021—but it won’t be easy as he faces Noah Lyles, the reigning Olympic and world champion who stormed to 9.79s gold in Paris.

Kishane Thompson, who matched Lyles’ time, will also be hungry for revenge, while Fred Kerley (9.81) remains a major threat. With Letsile Tebogo and others in the mix, Jacob’s road to redemption in Tokyo will demand nothing short of his absolute best. Will he put critics to rest and go back to the highest? The way is clear, and the challenge is laid out.