ROME: Marcell Jacobs claimed his second gold of the European championships on his home Rome track on Wednesday as Italy won the 4x100m relay.
Jacobs, who won the individual 100m title on Saturday, teamed up with Matteo Melluzzo, Lorenzo Patta and Filippo Tortu for victory in 37.82 seconds.
Running in his usual second leg, Jacobs benefited from an electric opening run by Melluzzo, hammered down the far straight for a slick handover to Patta, whose handover to Tortu gave the anchor man 15 metres of space.
Tortu scorched through to the line and the raucous crowd at the Stadio Olimpico erupted.
The Netherlands claimed silver in 38.46sec, with Germany taking bronze (38.52).
Draped in Italian flags, Jacobs immediately led his teammates up into the stands to embrace Italy President Sergio Mattarella, government and federation officials, to more applause from the partisan crowd.
Jacobs’ double gold mirrors that of the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics when the 29-year-old claimed a shock win in the blue riband event before also claiming relay gold.
He followed that success up by winning the 2022 world indoor 60m title in Belgrade and the European 100m gold later the same year in Munich.
A series of injuries ensued, but Jacobs has shown his resolve and tellingly changed coach in Olympic year, moving to the United States to work under Rana Reider.
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