Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs said he was on the beach watching the Olympics on TV when Usain Bolt burst onto the scene with his win in the 100-meter final in 2008.
Jacobs watched many of Bolt's races through the years, as the Jamaican became the face of the sport. Which makes it even more surreal that the crown now rests upon his own head.
Jacobs, who was born in Texas and moved to Italy as a child, got off to a good start in the men's 100-meter final and never let up to beat American Fred Kerley and Canadian Andre de Grasse to claim the title of Fastest Man in the World on a golden night for Italy at the Tokyo Olympics at National Stadium on Sunday.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.