The 27-year-old sprinter is at the head of the gondola at the Continental Tour meeting in Nairobi (2nd world division) at the royal sprint platforms with American Fred Kerley, silver medalist in the 100m in Tokyo, Jamaican triple Olympic champion Shelly -Ann Fraser-Pryce and Namibian sensation Christine Mboma.

“I came here to Nairobi so early in the season for the quality of the 100m entries. press Friday.

New king of sprinting (Olympic champion and European record holder in 9 sec 80), Jacobs had ended his 2021 season after his feat in Japan, where he had also won gold in the 4x100m with his teammates.

This winter, he ran a lot and once again shone in the 60m indoors by becoming world champion ahead of the American Christian Coleman, who had returned from an anti-doping suspension.

A little over two months from the World Championships in Eugene (United States), the Kasarani stadium in the Kenyan capital, home of the long distance and middle distance, offers expected opposition in the short sprint.

American sprinter Fred Kerley at a press conference on May 6, 2022 in Nairobi Tony KARUMBA AFP

Another surprise from the Tokyo Olympics with his silver medal in the 100m (in 9 sec 84), the American Fred Kerley, with protean talent (brilliant in the 100 to 400m), finds Jacobs on the track where he had succeeded in his personal best in the 200m last September (19 sec 76).

"I have more pressure on my shoulders in 100m now," Kerley said.

Duel of generations

The two champions face local star Ferdinand Omanyala, who became the African record holder in September in the same stadium (9 sec 77).

Kerley and Omanyala have already run the 100m in less than ten seconds this year in lower-ranking meetings.

The women's 100m offers a duel of generations between Jamaican star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (35), eight-time Olympic medalist (including silver in the 100m and gold in the 4x100m in Tokyo), and Namibian Christine Mboma (18), Olympic silver medalist in the 200m.

Namibian sprinters Christine Mboma (g) and Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on May 6, 2022 in Nairobi Tony KARUMBA AFP

Mboma, who exploded at the highest level in 2021, constantly pushes his limits and clashes with a seemingly unfinished running technique.

Over 100m, a distance she is discovering in 2022, she ran in less than 11 seconds last week in Gaborone, Botswana (10.97), the mark for the very highest level in the world.

The Nairobi meeting also marks the return of Kenyan 3,000m steeplechase world champion Conseslus Kipruto, who has not finished a race since 2019, and brings together Polish hammer throw stars Anita Wlodarczyk (three-time Olympic champion), Wojciech Nowicki (Olympic champion) and Pawel Fajdek (quadruple world champion).

© 2022 AFP