Athletics, Jacobs and the new coach: Padua with the English after Camossi

by our correspondent Andrea Buongiovanni

September 19th
– Desenzano del Garda

The separation from Paolo Camossi, for those who follow Marcell Jacobs closely, is not a bolt from the blue. Likewise, it is easy to understand how painful it is for both of them. There was, is and probably always will be a relationship between the two, even a personal one, which goes beyond the athlete-coach relationship. Paolo, in September 2015, welcomed Marcell to Gorizia, in his team of long jumpers, when the 20-year-old boy, despite being an excellent talent, was one of the group. He took him by the hand, led him beyond sport, acted as his big brother, almost replacing the father he, in fact, never had. For him, he made radical decisions, like the one in autumn 2018, to move to Rome. Up to taking him to the Olympic 100m title, the maximum, and making him, a year ago, best man at a wedding.

Yet something in that relationship has slowly cracked. Having touched the tuning fork with the double gold of Tokyo, the character Jacobs was invested with new roles. Difficult to interpret. Inevitably, interests of all kinds arose around him, including economic ones, and new figures appeared. Some still on staff, others disappeared. The coach, accustomed to taking on 360° responsibilities, was gradually confined to a field role. Add to this the difficulties of two seasons made complicated by injuries, with the second in particular, the one just concluded, lacking in results beyond the silver in the 60 at the Euroindoor and the world championship in the 4×100. Camossi, compared to the past, seemed increasingly “isolated”. Until the trip to Xiamen, China, at the beginning of the month. There, thanks to the long journey and the frustration of another result below expectations, certain tensions emerged forcefully. And the straw broke the camel’s back. When Marcell competed in Zagreb the following weekend without Paolo, the signal was clear.

And now? The 100 of the Paris Games are just over 10 months away. Only Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt, in five-circle history, have confirmed themselves as champions of the specialty. The blue will be called, regardless, to a very difficult task. Especially starting from a technical situation to be clarified. He will leave Rome. And he will not return to Desenzano, where he grew up, the place that he feels most like “home” and where he launched the Academy project that bears his name. Not far away, however, in Padua – the city of its Fiamme Oro – Marco Airale is based, a coach who follows several top British sprinters, from Reece Prescod to Daryll Neita. Marcell there, in addition to having a group with which to share certain sessions, would have facilities and assistance from the Police at his disposal. There are also, scattered throughout Italy, many individual coaches, even those of his relay teammates: but none of them would be right for him. The possibility of emigrating remains. Maybe in the United States, maybe in Florida where, divided into different “teams”, the majority of the most accredited rivals work. Be that as it may, there is no time to waste.