MARCELL JACOBS

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Marcell Jacobs born in 1994, Olympic champion of the 100 meters fl at and the 4x100 meter relay at the Tokyo 2020 Games and champion of the indoor 60 meters fl at at Belgrade 2022 (ph. Daniele Venturi)

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WINGED FEET

OUR INTERVIEW WITH THE ITALIAN OLYMPIC CHAMPION MARCELL JACOBS, THE FASTEST MAN ON EARTH text Teresa Favi

Two-time Olympic champion and the records set at Tokyo 2020 are your most recent achievements. What does it take to get where you are now?

First of all, you need to have dreams and then the willpower and perseverance to go get them. No one becomes a champion by accident, and talent is not enough. A gold medal at the Olympic Games is the result of many years of hard work. You have to be able to make progress with humility, by recognizing that you have limits, weaknesses, but also strengths, and adapting your training and competition technique to your personal characteristics. Furthermore, never give up when things get tough and be able to create a balance between the mental and the physical aspects. If the body works well and the technique has been carefully studied and assimilated, if you develop focus and self-control you can accomplish whatever you wish for. It took me a lifetime to learn to clear my mind when the starter gives the order “Set!” and the starting pis the happiness of the race.

What does speed mean to Marcell Jacobs?

Speed is freedom. As I walk into a stadium and step onto the racetrack, I feel at home, and when I can

and that I’ve always wanted to do it. I also love speed in general. For instance, I love Formula One racing. And the family on my mother’s side are motocross champions. I believe that speed is rooted in my DNA. But I’m quite the opposite in everyday life: I take my time, I’m lazy. I never make rash judgements, I enjoy listening before having my say.

How did you develop a passion for athletics? And when did you

‘SPEED IS FREEDOM. AS I WALK INTO realize you had the potential to become a champion? Running sort of planted itself A STADIUM AND old. I never stayed still as a child. STEP ONTO THE Even years later, as a teenag-

RACETRACK, er, my grandfather Osvaldo was I FEEL AT HOME, impressed by the way I jumped AND WHEN I CAN and ran, he told me that I was

FINALLY RUN, a “ spring”. He also called me “

I FEEL FREE’ human motor scooter”, because one of my favorite games with my cousins was to pretend I was a scooter by wrapping my hands around an imaginary handlebar and simulating the sound of an engine starting up with my voice. I realized that I was talented at elementary school when, during recreation time, my schoolmates and I would race and I always came for my schoolmates to catch up and then I would

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Behind the success of Marcell Jacobs there are years of hard work and great willpower In these photos, his triumph and Olympic medal at Tokyo 2020; some images while training and his last trip to Dubai; with his partner Nicole Daza

Marcell Jacobs with Giorgio Armani at the One Night Only Dubai 2021 (ph. SGP courtesy Giorgio Armani)

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join them again. I was not so good at cross-country races because I took off too fast and after a while I was breathless and I had to slow down. I’ve practiced a lot of sports. Besides athletics, I’ve played football, basketball, swimming. Unfortunately, I run too fast to be a good footballer, the ball is always behind me, has ever stopped me is a predisposition to accidents but, luckily enough, I’ve always been able to get back on my feet, until my coach and friend Paolo Camossi and I worked out some strategies that

What Italian values and standards of excellence do you feel you share when you are on the racetrack representing Italy abroad?

Italians pay great attention to details, they are perfectionists. They Being eager to excel, to be more successful than other people is the drive behind everything. Italians also take work very seriously, they have team spirit and a sound patriotism. We, Italians, are perhaps less individualists than others because we strongly believe in the family and community values which each of us represent.

What is your relationship with fashion? You were Armani’s guest at the One Night Only Dubai event. What was this experience like for you?

My partner Nicole and I have always been passionate about fashion. We enjoy choosing carefully what we wear, we pursue elegance in everything, perhaps with a touch of unconventionality. The One Night Only Dubai event was an amazing experience. First was my porthole into a fascinating world. Armani had accompanied us on our Olympic trip. The hotel was awesome. I had the chance to meet a lot of peo great fashion show after the Olympic Games. Very

‘ITALIANS PAY exciting. It was important to be there. What is more, we were able GREAT ATTENTION to see each other again outdoors

TO DETAILS, after the pandemic’s toughest THEY ARE phase.

PERFECTIONISTS. It’s the world’s new top destinaTHEY ARE tion. What attracts you to Dubai

DEFINITELY VERY and what places have you found COMPETITIVE. BEING EAGER TO EXCEL, TO BE MORE the most fascinating? to Armani, I went back to Dubai and I was able to visit the city and SUCCESSFUL THAN enjoy it day and night, the hotels,

OTHER PEOPLE IS its beauty, its carefree attitude. I THE DRIVE BEHIND also took a few trips to the desert.

EVERYTHING’ We had fun. And I took it easy, because I like taking my time to enjoy things when I’m not on the racetrack.

Three big goals for the near future?

I want to run faster and faster and continue to win. in Eugene, Oregon, the World Athletics Champion And, last but not least, I’m marrying my partner Nicole in September. We promised to get married if promise.

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