The Paris 2024 Olympics are in full swing, with track and field events capturing global attention. In the 100 meters, defending Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy has qualified for the semifinals, finishing second in his heat with a time of 10.05 seconds. Despite advancing, Jacobs expressed disappointment with his performance, stating, ‘I didn’t like it at all, the sensations weren’t great. I was heavy in the first part of the race, but the goal was to qualify for the semifinals’.World champion Noah Lyles of the United States also secured a spot in the semifinals, finishing second in his heat with a time of 10.04 seconds. Lyles, who won three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships, admitted to underestimating the competition, saying, ‘I didn’t put enough effort on the acceleration. The moment is pretty big. I’m excited. I’m not gonna lie, I downplayed my competitors. It won’t happen again’.In a historic moment for German athletics, Joshua Hartmann became the first German sprinter in 40 years to qualify for the 100m semifinals, finishing third in his heat with a time of 10.16 seconds.Meanwhile, in the pole vault event, reigning Olympic champion Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis of Sweden comfortably qualified for the final. The 24-year-old world record holder, who recently cleared 6.24 meters, hinted at a potential record attempt in Monday’s final. Duplantis expressed excitement about competing in front of a crowd, a stark contrast to the spectator-less Tokyo Olympics.As the athletics events continue, all eyes will be on the 100 meters semifinals scheduled for Sunday, where top contenders like Jacobs, Lyles, and emerging talents will vie for a spot in the final.
Key points
- Defending 100m Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs qualifies for semifinals despite expressing disappointment with his performance.
- World champion Noah Lyles secures spot in 100m semifinals, admitting to underestimating the competition.
- Pole vault champion Armand Duplantis comfortably qualifies for the final, hinting at a potential world record attempt.
- German sprinter Joshua Hartmann makes history by reaching 100m semifinals, a first for Germany in 40 years.
