Fred Kerley finally responds to Marcel Jacobs' withdrawal from Rabat clash

ATHLETICS Fred Kerley finally responds to Marcel Jacobs' withdrawal from Rabat clash

Abigael Wafula 10:21 - 30.05.2023

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.

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.

“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.

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