2020 Tokyo Olympics track and field results: Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs wins gold in men's 100-meters

Jacobs stakes his claim to the title of "world's fastest man"

Longer ago now than it seems, track & field competition in the Olympics was the spectacle in which the great Usain Bolt proved himself to be the fastest man in the world. But those days are now done: After his retirement at the end of the 2017 season, Bolt left a vacuum to be filled at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which has now been filled by Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy.

Jacobs won Sunday's men's 100-meter final, posting a time of 9.80 -- the fastest time ever run by a European athlete in the 100-meters -- to edge out Fred Kerley of the United States and Andre de Grasse of Canada for the gold medal. Jacobs is the first man not named Usain Bolt to win the event since 2004, when Justin Gatlin of the United States was the last winner prior to Bolt's three-peat in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics. Jacobs becomes the first Italian man to win the event, and does so by improving on his personal best time by over two tenths. Jacobs' previous best had been a 10.03.

The 100-meter final took two tries to run, as the first attempt saw a false start by Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain. Hughes was disqualified following his false start, prematurely ending his efforts to win the event. Enoch Adegoke of Nigeria also fell out of the race and was credited with a DNF.

Jacobs' personal background is an interesting one, as he was born in El Paso, Texas to an American father and an Italian mother before growing up in Desenzano del Garda. This is Jacobs' third win of the year, as he also earned gold at the European Indoor Championships in Torun and the International Savona Meeting in Italy.

Men's 100-meter Final Results

1. Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy) - 9.80
2. Fred Kerley (United States) - 9.84
3. Andre de Grasse (Canada) - 9.89
4. Akani Simbine (South Africa) - 9.93
5. Ronnie Baker (United States) - 9.95
6. Bingtian Su (China) - 9.98
7. Enoch Adegoke (Nigeria) - DNF
8. Zharnel Hughes (Great Britain) - DQ

Jacobs' victory highlighted a banner day for Italians in track and field, as fellow countryman Gianmarco Tamberi shared a gold medal in the men's high jump with Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar. In the women's triple jump, a new world record was set by Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela, who jumped a distance of 15.67 meters to win the gold medal.

[Aug 1, 2021 at 8:55 am ET · Steven Taranto]

Lamont Marcell Jacobs wins gold in the men's 100 meter final with a time of 9.80. America's Fred Kerley wins silver and Canada's Andre de Grasse wins bronze.

[Aug 1, 2021 at 8:52 am ET · Steven Taranto]

Men's 100-meter final begins with a false start by Zharnel Hughes. Hughes has been disqualified.