Marcell Jacobs Records Second Fastest Time Ever, But It Won’t Count

Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs just ran one of the fastest 100m races anyone has ever seen. At the Raiffeisen Austrian Open, he clocked an amazing 9.67 seconds. That time is faster than every runner in history except one man, Usain Bolt.

But here’s the twist. This incredible run will not go into the official record books. The reason is simple: too much wind helped push him forward.

What Happened at the Race

Jacobs ran the 100m in 9.67 seconds. To put that in perspective, only Usain Bolt has ever run faster, with his famous world record of 9.58 seconds set back in 2009. Bolt also holds the second-fastest legal time ever, at 9.63 seconds.

So, on paper, Jacobs’ run puts him at third place across all conditions, right behind Bolt’s two fastest runs. That is a huge achievement for any sprinter.

However, there was a strong tailwind blowing on the day of the race. The wind speed was measured at +4.1 metres per second. For a time to count as official, World Athletics has a rule that the wind speed cannot go above +2.0 metres per second. Since the wind was more than double the legal limit, Jacobs’ time cannot be recognized as a personal best or an official record.

Why Wind Rules Exist

You might wonder why wind speed matters so much in sprinting. The answer is fairly simple. A strong wind blowing from behind a runner can push them forward and help them run faster. This is called a tailwind.

If wind is allowed without any limit, then every fast time could just be because of weather, not the runner’s own speed and skill. So, World Athletics set a rule. Any wind reading above +2.0 metres per second means the run cannot count as an official time.

This rule keeps things fair. It makes sure that record books only include times where the runner’s own effort was the main reason for the fast time, not outside help from nature.

Comparing Jacobs to Other Fast Runners

Even though the time won’t count officially, it still stands out in a big way. Jacobs’ 9.67 seconds is now the fastest wind-aided 100m run ever recorded. Before this, the record for fastest wind-aided time belonged to American sprinter Tyson Gay.

Gay ran 9.68 seconds at the 2008 US Olympic Trials. Interestingly, that run also happened under the exact same wind conditions as Jacobs’ race, a wind speed of +4.1 metres per second. Gay was one of the top favorites heading into the 2008 Beijing Olympics that year, but an injury stopped him from performing well at the actual Games.

Here is a quick look at some of the fastest wind-aided 100m times ever recorded:

• Lamont Marcell Jacobs – 9.67 seconds (2026)
• Tyson Gay – 9.68 seconds (2008)
• Obadele Thompson – 9.69 seconds
• Andre De Grasse – 9.69 seconds
• Asafa Powell – 9.72 seconds
• Kanyinsola Ajayi – 9.72 seconds

Jacobs now sits at the very top of this list, ahead of some very well-known and respected sprinters from the past.

Jacobs’ Journey Back to the Top

This fast time is part of a bigger story for Jacobs. A few years ago, in 2021, he shocked the entire athletics world. At the Tokyo Olympics, nobody expected him to win the men’s 100m gold medal, but he did it anyway. It was one of the biggest surprises in recent Olympic history.

After that huge win, though, things got tough for him. He faced a difficult few seasons filled with injuries and inconsistent form. When he tried to defend his Olympic title at the Paris Olympics, he managed to reach the final. His season-best time there was 9.92 seconds. But during the final race, he suffered from cramps, which stopped him from competing for a medal.

Since then, Jacobs has been working hard to get back to his best form. This latest 9.67 second run, even though it comes with the wind-assisted tag, shows that his speed and power are coming back strong.

What Jacobs Said About the Run

After crossing the finish line, Jacobs spoke about how happy he felt with his performance. He said, “I’m very happy because I’m improving with every race. 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.”

His words show that even though the run won’t count as an official record, he still sees it as proof that his training and hard work are paying off. Running a time that only Usain Bolt has beaten, even under any conditions, is still something special.

Understanding the Numbers Better

Let’s break down these numbers in a simple way. Sprinting times are measured down to tiny fractions of a second, so even small differences matter a lot.

Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds has stood for many years now, since 2009. That is a long time for any sports record to remain unbeaten. His second fastest legal run, 9.63 seconds, also remains one of the greatest performances in the sport’s history.

Jacobs’ new time of 9.67 seconds, even though wind-aided, is just 0.09 seconds slower than Bolt’s world record. In sprinting terms, that is a very small gap. It shows just how fast Jacobs ran on that day, wind or no wind.

The Role of Wind in Sprinting History

Wind readings have played a part in many famous sprinting moments over the years. Sometimes, runners have posted amazing times that just missed becoming official records because of wind conditions similar to what happened with Jacobs.

This is not the first time a fast performance has been left out of the record books because of wind. It happens fairly often in track and field. Sprinters sometimes get frustrated by this rule, since running fast is still running fast, no matter the weather. But the rule stays in place to keep results fair and comparable across different races and locations.

A Look at Jacobs’ Career So Far

Marcell Jacobs, now 31 years old, has had quite an interesting career. Before becoming famous in sprinting, few people outside Italy knew his name. His Olympic win in Tokyo changed everything and put him on the map as one of the top sprinters in the world.

Since then, he has dealt with ups and downs, as most athletes do. Injuries and inconsistent performances made it hard for him to keep up with the level he showed in Tokyo. His recent races, including this wind-aided 9.67 second run, suggest that he might be finding his rhythm again.

Sprinting is a sport where confidence and form can change quickly. A good race can lift a runner’s spirits and help them train even harder. For Jacobs, this run seems to have given him a boost of confidence heading into future competitions.

The Historic Run

Even though Jacobs’ 9.67 second run at the Raiffeisen Austrian Open will not count as an official record because of the strong tailwind, it remains one of the fastest 100m times ever run by any human being. It puts him just behind Usain Bolt on the all-conditions list and ahead of legends like Tyson Gay in the wind-aided category.

For Jacobs personally, this run is a strong sign that his speed is returning after a rough patch following his Olympic win in Tokyo. While the record books may leave this time out due to wind rules, his performance on the track speaks for itself.

Sprinting fans and experts alike will likely keep a close eye on Jacobs in his upcoming races, watching to see if he can produce a similarly fast time under legal wind conditions.

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