Jacobs-Kerley, after the provocations finally the date of the challenge on the track: June 2 at the Golden Gala

FLORENCE – Florence, and the Golden Gala on 2 June, will host the awaited 100m challenge between the Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs and the world champion Fred Kerley. Protagonists of the Olympic final in Tokyo, they will meet again at the Ridolfi stadium in Florence in the third stage of the Wanda Diamond League named after Pietro Mennea, finally unloading the provocations and jokes with which they have been teasing each other for two years. With them, in a phenomenal cast, there will also be the Diamond League champion and world bronze Trayvon Bromell.

For the 28-year-old Texan Kerley, it is a return to the Golden Gala after winning the last edition on the track of the Olympic stadium in Rome, closed on this occasion for adjustments in view of the 2024 European Athletics Championships. Last year – Jacobs was absent due to physical problems – the American triumphed with a time of 9”92 in the 100 meters, a few weeks before signing a personal best of 9”76 at the US championships and winning the gold medal at the World Championships in Oregon.

But the last time the two crossed paths, Jacobs won in the Tokyo final in August 2021, dropping to 9”80 (European record) and becoming the first Olympic champion in the sprint after the Bolt era, a success repeated a few days later with the 4×100 relay. His last presence in the Italian meeting dates back to September 2020, with fourth place in the 100m (10”11). Florence will be a fundamental stage for the two sprinters, but also for Bromell, in view of the World Championships in Budapest in August. With them too Samuel CeccarelliEuropean indoor champion of the 60 meters who wants to make the leap in quality also in the 100.