RABAT, MOROCCO – Bragging rights for “World’s Fastest Man” will be on the line this weekend when Taylor’s own Fred Kerley and Italy standout Marcell Jacobs will put their rivalry to the test in the 100-meter dash at the Rabat Diamond League in the first meeting between the pair since the Tokyo Olympics. The highly anticipated event will be held in Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday and will be broadcast live on Peacock and CNBC.
Also competing against Kerley and Jacobs in the 100meter dash will be 2022 world bronze medalist and former Baylor University track star Trayvon Bromell, four-time Olympic medalist Yohan Blake of Jamaica, and African 100meter record holder and current 100-meter world leader Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya.
According to an official press release on Thursday from NBC Sports Group Press Box, this Sunday will be the first time in over a decade that the reigning Olympic gold medalist (Jacobs) and reigning world champion (Kerley) in the men’s 100-meter dash had squared off since the 2012 London Olympic final when world record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica and Blake faced off.
After Jacobs won the 100meter at the Tokyo Olympics when he just edged out Kerley, the Italian did not race much during the 2022 outdoor track season due to leg injuries and had to withdraw from the 2022 World Championships early. Since Kerley won the silver medal in Tokyo, he has lowered his personal best time in the 100-meter to 9.76 seconds and eventually won his first individual world title at the 2022 World Championships last July.
The rivalry between Kerley and Jacobs has only picked up heat since then with both of them trading barbs at each other. During an interview with the Sprint Culture podcast in March, Kerley was asked about Jacobs’ runner-up performance at the 2023 European Indoor Championships in the 60-meter dash and said, “At the end of the day, indoor is indoor. The real dogs come to play outdoors.”
When asked if he thought Jacobs was “a real dog,” Kerley added, “I don’t think so. I’m just going to be truthful.” Jacobs fired back in his Instagram story of him edging Kerley at the Tokyo Olympic 100-meter finish line captioned, “Whenever you want and wherever you want, but remember that when it mattered more it ended like this.”
