ROME — Hardly anyone outside of Italy had heard of Marcell Jacobs before he succeeded Usain Bolt as the Olympic 100 meter champion in Tokyo. So Jacobs also has the unusual status of being both the defending champion while remaining an underdog for the biggest race of the Olympics. Having dealt with a series of physical issues, the 29-year-old Jacobs hasn't won all that much over the past two years. Jacobs also helped Italy to gold in the 4x100 relay in the Azzurri's breakout performance in Tokyo and became an instant celebrity at home. Up next comes Jacobs' biggest pre-Olympics test at the European Championships on his home track in Rome starting Friday.
