No doubts, no caveats. Marcell Jacobs proved emphatically that he is the fastest man on the planet as he won a race for the ages at the world indoor championships.
Many had derided Jacobs’ 100m Olympic gold medal in Tokyo last year as a fluke. But he summoned a performance of devastating serenity to defeat the world 60m record holder Christian Coleman in a barnstormer of a contest that lived up to its billing.
Coleman, who was back after serving an 18-month ban for missing three drugs tests, made his usual fluid start and was ahead after 30m. But Jacobs didn’t flinch or adjust his form. Gradually he gained. Until, just at the moment the two men crossed the line, he got his chest in front.
Both men had run 6.41 seconds – the ninth quickest time in history. But, after an eternal wait, Jacobs got the nod by three-thousandths of a second. “I hoped and prayed, please first, and it happened,” he said.
He was then asked whether he thought he had proved a point. “Of course,” he replied. “Now I’m an Olympic and world champion.”
Another American, Marvin Bracy, took bronze in 6.44, while Britain’s Adam Thomas was fifth in 6.60 sec.
But while he may have lost this battle, Coleman insisted he would be back for more in the summer. “I think it’ll be neck and neck like today,” he said. “He’s a great athlete and I’m looking forward to the competition.”
Elsewhere on the second day of competition there were gold medals for Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who ran a storming 50.31 sec to beat Femke Bol, and Sandi Morris in the women’s pole vault.
Meanwhile Jereem Richards ran a championship record 45.00 to take the men’s 400m. He dedicated his victory to his friend and team-mate Deon Lendore, who died in a car crash, saying: “Rest in peace, man.”
However British Athletics was facing the prospect of leaving these championships without a medal after its best hope of gold, Keely Hodgkinson, was forced to pull out through injury.
The 20-year-old had been the odds-on favourite to win the 800m, having run the sixth fastest time in history last month. However she withdrew as a precaution after a scan found a minor tear in her right thigh.
