The Most Anticipated 100m Race of the Season at Rabat Diamond League Meet: Tokyo Olympic 100m Champion Marcell Jacobs vs. 2022 100m World Champion Fred Kerley in First Head-to-Head Matchup Since Tokyo Olympics
NBC Sports’ Track & Field Coverage Begins this Weekend with Los Angeles Grand Prix on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET Live on NBC and Peacock, Featuring Sha’Carri Richardson, Ryan Crouser, Gabby Thomas, Mondo Duplantis, and More
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 25, 2023 – The title of “World’s Fastest Man” will be on the line when two 100m champions and rivals – Tokyo Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs (Italy) and 2022 world champion Fred Kerley (USA) – race head-to-head in their signature distance for the first time since the Tokyo Olympic 100m final at the Rabat Diamond League meet this Sunday, May 28, at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock and CNBC. The 100m showdown headlines a full weekend of NBC Sports’ track & field coverage.
Sunday will mark the first time that the reigning Olympic gold medalist and reigning world champion in the men’s 100m have faced each other since the 2012 London Olympic final, which featured world record holder Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, both from Jamaica.
Jacobs, who at the Tokyo Olympics became the first Italian to win the gold medal in the 100m, raced sparingly last outdoor season due to leg injuries and withdrew from the 2022 World Championships before the semifinals. Kerley, after earning silver in the 100m in Tokyo, lowered his personal best to 9.76 and led a U.S. men’s sweep in the 100m at the 2022 World Championships, winning his first individual world title.
Since then, their rivalry has only intensified. In a podcast interview in March, when asked if he thought Jacobs was “a real dog,” Kerley responded, “I don’t think so. I’m just going to be truthful.” Jacobs responded with a pointed Instagram story of him edging Kerley at the Tokyo Olympic 100m finish line, with the caption, “Whenever you want and wherever you want, but remember that when it mattered more it ended like this.”
Joining Jacobs and Kerley in the 100m is 2022 100m world bronze medalist Trayvon Bromell (USA), four-time Olympic medalist Yohan Blake (Jamaica), and African 100m record holder and current 100m world leader Ferdinand Omanyala (Kenya). Other notable athletes expected to compete in Rabat include two-time Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad, two-time 110m hurdles world champion Grant Holloway, 2022 200m world champion Shericka Jackson (Jamaica), and Tokyo Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway), who is set to face rising U.S. star Yared Nuguse in the 1500m.
NBC Sports’ Paul Swangard will call the event, joined by four-time Olympic medalist Ato Boldon.
How to Watch – Sunday, May 28 (all times ET):
- TV (LIVE): CNBC
- Streaming (LIVE): Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
| Date | Time (ET) | Platform |
| Sun., May 28 | 2-4 p.m. | CNBC, Peacock (LIVE) |
USATF LOS ANGELES GRAND PRIX
NBC Sports presents live coverage of the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix from Drake Stadium at UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif., starting this Saturday, May 27, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Part of USATF’s Grand Prix Series of elite gold-label events, Saturday marks the inaugural running of this meet.
U.S. sprinting star Sha’Carri Richardson has been on a tear to start her outdoor campaign this season, winning the Doha Diamond League 100m on May 5 and beating the last two 200m world champions in the process. She followed up that performance with a meet-record 22.07 in the 200m at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya last week. Richardson, entered in the 100m this weekend, is expected to face U.S. 60m record holder Aleia Hobbs and three-time world medalist Marie-Josée Ta Lou (Ivory Coast).
An elite crew of Olympians are expected to compete in L.A. this weekend, including Tokyo Olympic pole vault champion and world record holder Mondo Duplantis (Sweden), two-time Olympic shot put champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser, two-time Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas, Tokyo Olympic pole vault champion Katie Moon, Rio Olympic 1500m champion Matthew Centrowitz, world 100m hurdles champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan (Nigeria), and many more.
Swangard will call the event, joined by Boldon and four-time Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross (analysts). Lewis Johnson will serve as reporter.
How to Watch – Saturday, May 27 (all times ET):
- TV(LIVE): NBC
- Streaming (LIVE): Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
| Date | Time (ET) | Platform |
| Sat., May 27 | 4:30-6 p.m. | NBC, Peacock (LIVE) |
--NBC SPORTS--
