BUDAPEST, HUNGARY: Italian Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs began his 2023 season on a positive note after winning the men's 60m in his first meet of the year, the Orlen Cup in Lodz, Poland, crossing the line in 6.57 seconds on February 4.
Notably, Jacobs, who currently holds the European record with a time of 6.41 seconds, comfortably won his semifinal in 6.61 seconds before breaking the record in the final where he finished 0.03 seconds ahead of Poland's Dominik Kopec, with Trinidad & Tobago's Jerod Elcock rounding out the top three at 6.63 seconds. The next scheduled competition for the "crazy long jumper" will be the 2023 Italian National Indoor Championships in two weeks. Meanwhile, Jacobs' mercurial rise to fame has invited curiosity about his personal life.
Who is Marcell Jacobs' wife?
Nicole Daza, Jacobs' wife, and their two children all reside in Rome. Jacobs also has another child who was born when he was nineteen years old. Despite being born in the US, Jacobs represents Italy in international events. Meanwhile, Nicole was born on September 17, 1993 in Ecuador. She lived in Novi Ligure with her family ever since she was a young girl and met Jacobs in a Milan nightclub in 2014. Their love affair led to Nicole deciding to move to Rome, where Marcel trains, and giving birth to their son Anthony in 2019 and Meghan in 2020. Nicole is a fashion blogger, model, and influencer, and describes herself as a "fashion girl," as reported by Pledge Times.
Since he was a young child, Jacobs had been alienated from his father; nevertheless, at the advice of his mental coach, he was able to rebuild their connection in 2020. He later explained that making amends with his father gave him the drive and serenity he needed to concentrate on the Olympics.
Jacobs' early life
Jacobs went down the track for the first time when he was 10, marking his first victories in long jump. He won the Italian title in 2016 and soared to 8.48 meters at the U23 national competition, narrowly missing out on an Italian record owing to a strong tailwind.
Like Gianmarco Tamberi, another outstanding Italian talent, he was unable to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio due to a hamstring injury. But they both won gold at the next Olympics in Tokyo. Tamberi and his close friend Mutaz Essa Barshim split the gold medal in the high jump, while Jacobs placed first as a sprinter.
'Crazy long jumper'
Jacobs still refers to himself online as "crazy long jumper" and even has a tattoo of the phrase on his body. He changed course after a dismal showing in the 2019 European Indoor Championships, frustrated after failing to qualify for Glasgow.
Jacobs' turn to sprint
One of Tokyo's major concerns following Usain Bolt's retirement was who would succeed him as the sprint king. Although there were no obvious favorites in the 100 meters, it wouldn't have been as shocking if Fred Kerley, Akani Simbine, Trayvon Bromell, or Andre De Grasse had won instead of Jacobs. One of the favorites, Bromell was unexpectedly ousted by a nanosecond in the semifinals. On the other side, Jacobs improved lap by lap, beginning with a 9.94 and qualifying for the championship round with a 9.84, as reported by World Athletics.
Only Bolt has raced faster than Jacobs in Olympic history. Jacobs, who was the first Italian to compete in the 100-meter final, won gold in 9.80 seconds, finishing ahead of Kerley (9.84) and De Grasse (9.89), both of whom set lifetime records. The men's 100-meter race will undoubtedly be the most eagerly awaited competition of the first weekend at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest.
