Jacobs’ back issue delays Kerley 100m ‘challenge’

Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs will sit out this weekend’s highly-anticipated sprint showdown against Fred Kerley in Morocco due to a back nerve problem, the Italian said on Thursday.

Published : May 26, 2023 06:51 IST , Rome - 1 MIN READ

File Photo of Lamont Marcell Jacobs.
File Photo of Lamont Marcell Jacobs. | Photo Credit: AP
infoIcon

File Photo of Lamont Marcell Jacobs. | Photo Credit: AP

Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs will sit out this weekend’s highly-anticipated sprint showdown against Fred Kerley in Morocco due to a back nerve problem, the Italian said on Thursday.

Jacobs, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo, was scheduled to go up against American Kerley in Rabat on Sunday after the world champion challenged the Italian publically.

“I’ve been forced to miss the 100m debut and the first meeting of this year with Kerley in Rabat, which I cared about very much, due to a slight lumbar-sacral block that I plan to resolve as soon as possible,” Jacobs said in a statement released by the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL).

“Technically I feel fit and ready to have a great season outdoors. The challenge is only put on hold,” the Texan-born 28-year-old added.

On June 2, the pair could face off at the Florence Diamond League meeting before the world championships in August in Budapest.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment