AP Interview: Italy coach says Jacobs can run much faster By ANDREW DAMPFAugust 2, 2021 GMT TOKYO (AP) — The 26-year-old Texas-born Italian sprinter who surprised everyone by winning the 100 meters at the Tokyo Olympics might just be getting started. Antonio La Torre, the head coach of Italy’s track and field team, believes Marcell Jacobs can run as fast as few men besides Usain Bolt ever have. “With his infinite talent I dare to say that he’s a man who can run close to 9.70 — or maybe even faster,” La Torre told The Associated Press on Monday, a day after Jacobs registered a personal-best 9.80 seconds to succeed Bolt as Olympic champion, otherwise known as The World’s Fastest Man.