- Title: Hero's welcome for sprinter Jacobs as he returns to Italy as world's fastest man
- Date: 9th August 2021
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (AUGUST 9, 2021) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** 100M AND 100M RELAY GOLD MEDALLIST, ITALY'S LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS, ARRIVING AT AIRPORT TERMINAL / JACOBS HUGGING AND KISSING HIS UNCLE, MARCO MASINI, AND HIS MOTHER, VIVIANA MASINI JACOBS HUGGING FRIENDS / PEOPLE CHANTING VARIOUS OF JACOBS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING GOLD MEDALS Â JACOBS KISSING GOLD MEDALS JACOBS TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) 100M AND 100M RELAY GOLD MEDALLIST, ITALY'S LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS, SAYING: "It's something incredible, sometimes I look at them (the medals). Especially when I was in bed, I looked at them and I wondered if they were really mine. Let's say it's something really incredible, not even in my dreams I could hope for a better Olympics. It was a series of unique emotions that have accompanied me along the path until today. What can I say, it's something wonderful to have my surname next to that of other champions, it's something incredible " GOLD MEDALS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) 100M AND 100M RELAY GOLD MEDALLIST, ITALY'S LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS, SAYING: "Never set limits, but limits exist. Let's see, I will try to improve what I have done, but then slowly we will see what will happen." FANS IN AIRPORT FAN WEARING T-SHIRT WITH JACOBS' PHOTOGRAPH VARIOUS OF JACOBS TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) ITALY'S LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS' MOTHER, VIVIANA MASINI, SAYING: "I am feeling amazing, he has done a great job. I have always dreamed about this moment, in all his career, it was one of the biggest dreams, I think for all the sporty people. So, now the dream has become true, and I am so proud of all. Thank you" VARIOUS OF JACOBS' FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WEARING T-SHIRTS WITH JACOBS' PHOTOGRAPH (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALY'S LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS' UNCLE, MARCO MASINI, SAYING: "In Desenzano, on Lake Garda, it is like a bomb has exploded, it has positively distorted our lives. The first three days we couldn't really understand what had happened, but after, when we really understood, there was the second victory in the 4x100 meters, and we said to ourselves 'now the victory is all ours, with two gold medals". VARIOUS OF JACOBS TALKING TO MEDIA POLICE AND MEDIA
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2021 20:55
- Keywords: 100 metre relay 100 metres Jacobs Lamont Marcell Jacobs Olympics gold gold medallist world's fastest man
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Athletics,Europe,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001EPK6ZBB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs was given a heroes welcome at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Monday evening (August 9) as he returned home from the Olympics with two gold medals and the accolade of world's fastest man.
Jacobs delivered probably the biggest shock win in the history of the 100 meters when he took gold.
He has been one of the Tokyo Games revelations, becoming the first Italian ever to win the 100 meters sprint at an Olympics Games, racing to victory with a European record time of 9.80 seconds in the showcase final in Tokyo despite having not gone under 10 seconds until this year.
He was also part of the winning 4x100 meters relay team for a stunning sprint double, with Italy earning more medals in Tokyo than in any other summer Olympics.
Speaking to media as he walked through the arrivals gates, Jacobs said he couldn't hope for a better Olympics.
"It was a series of unique emotions that have accompanied me along the path until today. What can I say, it's something wonderful to have my surname next to that of other champions, it's something incredible", Jacobs said.
Relatives and friends who arrived from Desenzano del Garda, where Jacobs grew up, welcomed the champion with applause and shouts of joy, wearing t-shirts with his photograph on them.
"In Desenzano, on Lake Garda, it is as if a bomb exploded, it has positively distorted our lives", Jacobs' uncle, Marco Masini, said. Â
"I am feeling amazing, he has done a great job. I have always dreamed about this moment", Jacobs' mother, Viviana Masini, said.
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