With the athletes’ competitive jeering, the track and field scene just got a lot hotter. With fierce competition, genuine struggle, and a brilliant lineup, the sight of gold keeps on getting blurry for many athletes. Whenever an ambitious attempt falls short the fear of losing ground often adds to the need to gain an edge over competitors. While there doesn’t appear to be any end in sight to the classic rivalry among sprinters from the post-Bolt era. A hurdle off the track is figuring out where one fits in with all of this!

It’s the Championship season, and the athletes have put their best leg forward for the upcoming races. While some stood off the ground owing to injuries, the rest gave tough competition this year. Among the on and off-track athletes were two close-cut runners that seem to be drawing the attention of the sprinting community.

Track and field athlete takes a dig at fellow rival

The sprinting world took note of the snide comment posted by Italian-American sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs. A recent Twitter post by @track_reports shows the now-deleted comment written for US Olympic Star Fred Kerley that read, “What happened to “double gold” hashtag? Never count your chickens before they hatch.” The comment was made just two days after Kerley finished fourth in the National Championship 2023.

Kerley clocked 19.86s in the 200m men’s finals losing the third position by 0.01 second to Courtney Lindsey. The reigning 100m champion did not compete in the 100m in Eugene having secured automatic qualification in the World Athletics Championships. The World’s events await the 2022 global final victor with an impressive personal best of  9.76 s in 100m. With a difference of 0.4s, the two rivals are head-to-head in the gold’s league.

Jacobs holds a personal best time of 9.80 seconds, but this year, ailments have forced him to frequently skip the races. Meanwhile, Kerley took part in the races,  showing his skills and impressive competence. After Bolt’s retirement, the title of fastest runner has been fiercely sought given the fast-paced dynamics. As the two competed on the same tracks a few years back, the alleged feud began with the close cut in their timings.

Track and field athletes’ rivalry dates back to the Games

Back in the distressed times during the pandemic, the two went one-one on the tracks of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In the finals of the 100m sprint at the Games, Jacobs beat retired Lightning Bolt’s 13-year reign in the men’s 100-meter final by winning a gold medal. Even back then, both Jacob and Kerley had a difference of 0.4s as Jacob clocked 9.80s while Kerley ran a time of 9.84s earning him the silver medal. The gold medallist advanced spectacularly from earlier parts of the race, which left the crowd in awe at the close cut.

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As the first Italian guy to win the 100-meter race, Jacobs’ feat was a historic one for Italy. Running faster than the world’s fastest man at the Olympics in Rio was widely reported, earning him an international image. In the same year, Kerley made a seamless transition from the 400 to the 200 and 100m. He entered the “Sub 10s, 20s, 44s club for the 100m, 200m, and 400m sprint” group as the third athlete to do so. Currently, the two have left their fans wondering with the question of when will they run together after missing the Diamond League face-off in May.

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