Rome (AFP)

Barely eleven days after winning the 100 meters to everyone's surprise at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs has let it be known that he will not be seen on the tracks again before 2022.

It was via Instagram that the Italian sprinter, who returned triumphantly to the peninsula on Monday from Japan, indicated that he was giving up the next stages of the Diamond League in which he was supposed to participate.

To the question of a fan who asked him on his story what was the "next meeting to (him) see again in competition", the Italian sprinter born in Texas answered in a concise manner: "2022".

An answer written on a gray background and surmounted by an hourglass emoji.

Jacobs, almost unknown a year ago, won two of the most prestigious titles at the Tokyo Games (100m and 4x100m) and took the European record for the 100m in 9s 80s.

In the funny atmosphere of these Japanese games, the queen discipline of athletics has thus found an unexpected first successor to Jamaican Usain Bolt, who disgusted Olympic competition from 2008 to 2016.

Jacobs would normally run on August 21 in the United States in Eugene (Oregon, west) at the Prefontaine Classic, as part of the Diamond League, then on September 3 in Brussels and the final meeting on September 9 in Zurich, events in which he will therefore not participate either.

Lamont Marcell Jacobs wins the 100m final at the Tokyo Olympics, August 1, 2021 Jewel SAMAD AFP / Archives

According to the Italian press, the sprinter started training again this week in Italy but immediately stopped, the Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera, citing his entourage, citing "the fatigue accumulated at the Olympics and a knee problem".

- Tokyo, first grand final -

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 was a European indoor title over 60m this winter in Torun (Poland) which announced his rise to power.

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

But Jacobs has proven himself at the highest level this season.

After his indoor title, he improved the Italian record in 9 sec 95 in May (his first time under 10 seconds) before his exploits in Tokyo.

Lamont Marcell Jacobs shows his gold medals in the 100m and the 4x100m relay of the Tokyo Olympics, upon his arrival at Fiumicino airport in Rome, August 9, 2021 Alberto PIZZOLI AFP / Archives

A triumph in Italy for this sprinter covered with tattoos, born September 26, 1994 in El Paso, Texas, the country of his father, who was a soldier stationed at the Vicenza base, near Venice in the northeast of the country.

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

With him, but also with other athletes like Gianmarco Tamberi, but also in particular cyclists, Italy brought back from Tokyo the best collection of medals in its history at the Olympic Games, a few weeks after the coronation of Squadra Azzurra in the final of Euro football, against England in London.

© 2021 AFP