Tokyo (AFP)

A birth in Texas, an absent father and a muscular body, covered in tattoos: the Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs, unexpected Olympic champion in the 100m, exploded in the face of the planet by becoming to everyone's surprise Olympic champion in the 100 m, Sunday in Tokyo.

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A rookie of the world finals

Before Tokyo, the 26-year-old Italian had never competed in an outdoor world or European final in his career.

His only feat of arms remains a European indoor title over 60m this winter in Torun which announced his rise to power.

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He stopped at the semi-finals of the Doha Worlds in 2019 as well as the Euro Berlin in 2018.

He has proven himself at the highest level this season.

After his indoor title, he improved the Italian record to 9 sec 95 in May before his exploits in Tokyo.

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Born in america

Jacobs was born on September 26, 1994 in El Paso, Texas, the country of his father, who was in the military stationed at the Vicenza base, near Venice in northeastern Italy.

His Italian mother takes him to the country when he is not yet two years old.

He grew up in Desenzano del Garda, between Verona and Brescia, on the shores of Lake Garda (north).

He even admits having problems speaking English.

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Trained by an ex-triple jumper

Jacobs is coached by the Italian Paolo Camossi (47), a former talented triple jumper, crowned indoor world champion in 2001. Camossi finished 8th at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

During the spring 2020 confinement, he had watched from a distance on his protege who had been able to continue to train on a small private track near his home.

Camossi followed the sessions online, filmed by his sprinter's brothers.

He had met Jacobs in the sports club of the National Police ("Fiamme Oro").

The sprinter has also been working since September with a mental trainer, Nicoletta Romanazzi.

"With her I agreed to really tackle my fears and my ghosts. It was not easy, there are some intimate things that you don't even want to reveal to yourself- even ", he explains to the Italian press.

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Mr tattoo

Much of Jacobs' massive upper body is covered in tattoos.

Some refer to his father, absent during his childhood, with whom he had a difficult relationship for a long time, soothed today.

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"The energy that comes over you when you tear down such a wall is incredible. I hated it for its absence, I changed my perspective: it gave me life, strong muscles, speed. I judged it. without knowing anything about him, "he explained.

Her tattoos also speak of her three children.

"With Jeremy, who was born when I was only 19 years old, I was not always the best father: I was immature, conflicts with his mother (he then had two children with another partner) m 'have moved away, but I'm trying to make up for lost time, "he confesses.

© 2021 AFP