Lamont Marcell Jacobs Runs 9.67 100m: Why It Won't Count As A Record
Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs just ran the third-fastest 100m in history under all conditions. Here's why his blistering 9.67 won't enter the record books.
· 3 min read · Athletics News
Lamont Marcell Jacobs just set the track on fire at the Raiffeisen Austrian Open in Eisenstadt, stopping the clock at a mind-bending 9.67 seconds in the men's 100m final.
It's a time that instantly pulls you back to the golden era of sprinting. To put it in perspective, only Usain Bolt has ever run faster in any condition, legal or otherwise. But despite the sheer speed on display, Jacobs' historic run won't be etched into the official world record books.
Here is a breakdown of why this run doesn't count, and what it means for the Italian Olympic champion's comeback season.
The +4.1 m/s tailwind factor
In sprinting, the wind is just as important as the track surface. World Athletics rules dictate that for a sprint time to be recognised for records or official personal bests, the tailwind cannot exceed +2.0 metres per second.
When Jacobs crossed the finish line in Eisenstadt, the wind gauge read +4.1 m/s - more than double the allowable limit. A strong tailwind like this acts as an invisible hand, reducing air resistance and physically pushing the runner forward. While it makes for an incredible spectacle, it provides a measurable advantage over athletes running in still conditions or headwinds.
This isn't the first time a massive tailwind has ruined a historic time. Tyson Gay famously ran a 9.68 with a +4.1 m/s wind, and Andre De Grasse clocked a 9.69 with a +4.8 m/s assist. Jacobs now joins this exclusive club of wind-aided flyers, sitting just behind Usain Bolt's official 9.58 world record and 9.63 Olympic record.
A statement of intent for the season
Despite the invalidation of the time, the performance is a massive confidence booster for Jacobs. After battling through an injury-riddled 2025 season, the Italian looks to be hitting his peak form at exactly the right time.
He didn't even have the perfect start in the final. Trailing Britain's Romell Glave (who finished second in 9.76) and South Africa's 400m world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk (third in 9.83) out of the blocks, Jacobs had to rely on his top-end speed to reel them in. Once he found his rhythm, he surged past the field to win by a full metre.
Earlier in the day, he had already fired a warning shot by winning his heat in 9.84 (also wind-assisted at +2.3 m/s).
"I'm very happy because I'm improving with every race," Jacobs said afterwards. "Of course, it was very windy here, but only Bolt in history has managed to beat this time, and I'm really happy to have achieved such a time."
What's next for the Olympic champion?
With the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham fast approaching this August, Jacobs has clearly put his continental rivals on notice. He is aiming for his third successive European 100m title, a feat last achieved by Great Britain's Linford Christie in 1994.
If he can replicate even a fraction of this form in legal wind conditions, we might just see a sub-9.80 official time from the Italian very soon.
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