Marcell Jacobs, the defending Olympic 100 meters champion, marked his return to competitive racing after nearly eight months with an impressive performance at the East Coast Relays on Saturday. The Italian sprinter clocked a time of 10.11 seconds, securing second place in the race held in Jacksonville, Florida.

It was Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse of Canada who clinched victory in the event, sharing the same time as Jacobs. American Trayvon Bromell, a two-time 100m world championship bronze medalist, secured the third position with a time of 10.14 seconds. The final finishing order was confirmed after organizers revised the initial times for De Grasse and Bromell, initially placing Bromell in first.

Jacobs, whose last race occurred at the Zagreb meeting in Croatia on September 10, 2023, expressed his ambition to meet the entry standard for the Olympic Games, aiming for a time of 10.0 seconds. Notably, he achieved Olympic gold in Tokyo with a remarkable time of 9.80 seconds.

Currently based in Jacksonville, Florida, Jacobs is under the guidance of American coach Rana Reider, training alongside De Grasse, Bromell, and Japanese sprinter Abdul Hakim Sani Brown. Jacobs disclosed plans to return to Italy in mid-May, preparing for the upcoming Paris Games while being stationed in Rieti, north of Rome.

Upon his return to Europe, Jacobs is scheduled to participate in various meetings, including the event in Ostrava on May 28 and either the Oslo or Stockholm Diamond League events on May 30 and June 2, leading up to June's European Championships in Rome.

Despite facing challenges with muscular issues, Jacobs' past achievements include surprising wins at the Tokyo Olympics, where he secured gold in the 4x100m relay as well. However, he encountered setbacks at last year's world championships in Budapest, failing to advance beyond the 100m semi-finals. As he resumes his competitive journey, Jacobs aims to overcome past obstacles and continue his pursuit of excellence on the track.