World Athletics Championships, Italy’s men’s 4×100 team out: Jacobs bumped and appeal possible

Rome, 20 September (LaPresse) – The Italian men’s 4×100 relay team composed of Desalu, Jacobs, Patta and Melluzzo finished sixth with a time of 38″52 in the first semi-final at the World Championships in Tokyo, but an appeal is not ruled out. At the second changeover, Jacobs was in his lane waiting for the baton when the South African relay runner hit him on the arm from behind, causing the Italian to lose his balance and risk falling. An appeal for a possible repêchage has not been ruled out. “I didn’t have time to make the first step and I felt a bump. I thought I was in my lane. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. The goal was still to get the baton to the finish line. We need to understand if he obstructed me and if he entered my lane. We have to hope for that. We were all super excited and could have run well,” Jacobs told Raidue.