ISTANBUL (March 4) – Italian sprinters Samuele Ceccarelli and Lamont Marcell Jacobs emerge as the leading qualifiers heading into the men’s 60m final on the third day of the 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships on Saturday (4).
Competing at the Ataköy Athletics Arena in Istanbul, reigning champion Jacobs advanced to the final with a quality run after clocking a season’s best time of 6.52 seconds in the third and final semi-final.
Although the time is the second quickest heading into the final behind his compatriot Ceccarelli, Jacobs appeared to be in some discomfort at the end of the race. Read more: Karsten Warholm powers into European Indoor 400m final with 45.43 secs
“I do not feel the best shape of my life so I wanted to spare some energy in the finish and did not push it too much,” the defending champion said.
Meanwhile, Ceccarelli continued his outstanding form this season by setting a new personal best and European leading time of 6.47 seconds to win his semi-final heat.
The Italian champion rocketed from the blocks and kept his foot on the gas pedal on his way to improve his personal best from 6.54 seconds, which he had set last month to win the domestic title.
Joining the two Italians in the final is British champion Reece Prescod, who finished second to Ceccarelli in the first semi-final heat with a time of 6.52 seconds.
Henrik Larsson of Sweden won the second semi-final and set a national record with a time of 6.56 seconds, while Jeremiah Azu of Great Britain finished second in that race with a time of 6.59 seconds.
Slovakia’s Ján Volko also secured a spot in the final, running a season’s best time of 6.58 seconds in the first semi-final. Poland’s Dominik Kopeć finished third in the second semi-final but still qualified for the final with a time of 6.59 seconds, while Markus Fuchs of Austria also progressed with a personal best time of 6.60 seconds.
The men’s 60m final promises to be an exciting contest, with Ceccarelli and Jacobs both looking to claim the gold medal later this evening.
