Olympics: Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs wins men's 100m race
Following their unexpected victory at football's European Championship last month, Italy scored another upset win in the Olympic men's 100m race on Sunday (Aug 1).
In the first Olympics without Jamaican great Usain Bolt since Athens 2004, Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs clinched the blue riband event in a European record of 9.80 seconds, ahead of Fred Kerley of the United States (9.84) and Canada's Andre de Grasse (9.89).
American pre-race favourite Trayvon Bromell had failed to make the cut after clocking 10.00sec to finish third in the second of three semi-finals.
Jacobs was also the first Italian to race in the Olympics' 100m final after clocking 9.84 to finish third in the third semi-final, which was won by China’s Su Bingtian in an Asian record of 9.83.
Su became the first Asian man to reach the Olympics' 100 metres final for 89 years, but he finished last out of the six sprinters who completed the race in 9.98sec.
Nigerian Enoch Adegoke did not finish the race, while Britain's Zharnel Hughes, who was supposed to be on Jacobs' right, was disqualified due to a false start.
The last Asian to appear in the final was Japan’s Taka Yoshioka, who came last in the 1932 Los Angeles final. – AFP, REUTERS
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