Explained: Why Marcell Jacobs' Historic 9.67s Sprint Won't Count As An Official Record

Last Updated:July 02, 2026, 12:01 IST

Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs ran a sensational 9.67 seconds in Austria, but the blistering sprint won't count as an official record. Here's why.

Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs produced the fastest sprint of his career at the Austrian Open in Eisenstadt on Wednesday, clocking a sensational 9.67 seconds in the men’s final.

It was the quickest time the Italian has ever recorded over 100 metres. However, despite its historic significance, the performance will not count as an official record.

Why Won’t Jacobs’ 9.67 Stand?

The reason lies in the wind.

World Athletics only recognises performances for records, rankings and qualifying standards if the tailwind does not exceed +2.0 metres per second. Jacobs’ run was aided by a +4.1 m/s tailwind—more than double the legal limit.

A strong tailwind reduces air resistance and provides sprinters with a measurable advantage, which is why times recorded in such conditions are deemed wind-assisted and cannot be recognised as official records or personal bests.

Still One Of The Fastest Runs Ever

Even though it won’t enter the record books, Jacobs’ performance remains extraordinary.

Only Usain Bolt has ever run faster over 100 metres in any conditions, legal or otherwise. Bolt’s 9.58 world record in Berlin in 2009 and his wind-legal 9.63 at the London Olympics remain ahead of Jacobs’ 9.67.

The Italian’s run also ranks ahead of other famous wind-assisted performances, including Tyson Gay’s 9.68 (+4.1) and Andre De Grasse’s 9.69 (+4.8).

Jacobs Finished Strongly

The Tokyo Olympic champion did not enjoy the cleanest start and briefly trailed Britain’s Romell Glave and South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk out of the blocks.

Once he reached top speed, however, Jacobs surged past both rivals to win by roughly a metre. Glave finished second in 9.76, while Van Niekerk crossed the line third in 9.83.

Jacobs had already hinted at his form by winning his heat in a wind-assisted 9.84 earlier in the day.

“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," Jacobs said after the race.

About the Author

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His...Read More

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