Double Olympic champion Jacobs excited, nervous to return to Italy as he is applauded at Tokyo airport
Record ID:
1631505
Double Olympic champion Jacobs excited, nervous to return to Italy as he is applauded at Tokyo airport
- Title: Double Olympic champion Jacobs excited, nervous to return to Italy as he is applauded at Tokyo airport
- Date: 9th August 2021
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (AUGUST 9, 2021) (REUTERS) ITALIAN SPRINTER AND DOUBLE GOLD OLYMPIC CHAMPION AT TOKYO'S HANEDA AIRPORT BEFORE BOARDING FLIGHT HOME TO ROME, TAKING GOLD MEDALS OUT OF BAG AND CONTAINERS AND SHOWS THEM TO PHOTOGRAPHERS / JACOBS SAYING TO JOURNALIST "Look how heavy it is" / JOURNALIST HOLDING IT / JACOBS SAYING "In fact the other night I had two around my neck and my back was almost hunched over." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) 100M AND 100M RELAY GOLD MEDALLIST, ITALY'S LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS, SAYING: JOURNALIST ASKING: "Are you happy to return home?" JACOBS SAYING: "Oh my god, yes, I can't wait, I am a bit scared of what awaits me." JOURNALIST ASKING: "Why are you scared?" JACOBS SAYING: "Because my reality is going to change. But then this is what I've always wanted and so I am also happy to come back." JOURNALIST ASKING: "What were your first thoughts after you won? JACOBS SAYING: "Even now I haven't really come to terms with what happened, so you can imagine how I was after the race. For sure it was hugely emotional, it was a mixture of feelings, and I haven't yet managed to put them together and enjoy them 100%." JOURNALIST ASKING: "Projects for the future?" JACOBS SAYING: "Now I've still got two races to do and then I'll go on holiday and then we'll see." JACOBS WALKING THROUGH AIRPORT TERMINAL, PUTTING ON MASK 'ITALIA' ON THE BACK OF JACOBS' T-SHIRT JACOBS PUTTING LABEL ON HIS SUITCASE NEXT TO ITALIAN FLAG JACOBS WEARING HIS TWO GOLD MEDALS AS PEOPLE AROUND HIM APPLAUD
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2021 11:08
- Keywords: 2020 Italy Lamont Marcell Jacobs Olympics athlete champion gold
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Athletics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001EPK6DZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Italy's double Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs was excited to head home to Rome but also a bit scared of what was in store for him as he wore his two gold medals with pride at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Monday (August 9).
"My reality is going to change. But then this is what I've always wanted and so I am also happy to come back," he said.
Jacobs has been one of the Tokyo Games revelations, becoming the first Italian ever to win the 100 metres 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 metres relay team for a stunning sprint double, with Italy already earning more medals in Tokyo than in any other summer Olympics and with a day of competition still left.
As he waited to board his flight back to Rome's Fiumicino airport, where he will be reunited with friends and family who weren't able to attend the games in person due to coronavirus restrictions, Jacobs said he still hadn't fully come to terms with his wins.
(Production: Yara Nardi, Antonio Denti, Emily Roe) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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