Over the 100m in Rabat, Kerley reigned supreme with a dominant 9.94 as he cut the tape ahead of Akani Simbine and Ferdinand Omanyala.
World champion Fred Kerley has finally responded to Olympic champion Marcel Jacob’s last-minute withdrawal from the just-concluded Diamond League Meeting in Rabat, Morocco where the masses had expected them to go head-to-head.
Jacobs just pulled out a few days before the race with a lombo sacral nerve block but noted that he was well prepared for the outdoor season despite the setback.
21:50 - 28.05.2023
ATHLETICS Kerley wins 100m Rabat Diamond League as Omanyala settles for third position
World 100m champion Fred Kerley beat a strong field of sprinters at the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday as Ferdinand Omanyala settled for third place.
In a post on his Twitter page, he said: “I am forced to skip the debut 100 meters and the first face-off with Kerley in Rabat, which I was really looking forward to, due to a lombo sacral nerve block that I’m working on resolving in the short term.
It’s the result of a misstep and not an injury, which does however keep me from competing in Morocco. I’m in strong physical shape technical and ready for a great outdoor season. The challenge is only postponed.”
Over the 100m in Rabat, Kerley reigned supreme with a dominant 9.94 as he cut the tape. South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Ferdinand Omanyala settled for second and third places respectively after clocking 9.99 and 10.05 respectively.
When asked about Jacobs’ withdrawal from the race in a post-race interview, Kerley revealed that he hopes the former European champion will get well and come back into competition.
11:00 - 29.05.2023
ATHLETICS Omanyala hits out at critics after third place finish in Rabat
Africa’s fastest man lost his first 100m race of the season but he remains unfazed as he eyes revenge in Florence Dimond League
“At the end of the day, I can’t worry about the next person. I just hope that he is healthy and he is getting ready for the next competition if he will be available,” Kerley said.
The two are now supposed to clash at the Golden Gala, a Diamond League Meeting in Florence, Italy on Friday, June 2.
18:00 - 04.05.2023
ATHLETICS Kerley dares arch-rival Marcel Jacobs to a 100m clash
Since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Jacobs and Kerley have not gone head-to-head, but Jacobs was injured for much of the 2022 season.