Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs hires Rana Reider as his new coach

Last week, it was announced that the reigning Olympic 100m champion, Marcell Jacobs, had parted ways with his long-time coach, Paolo Camossi. Camossi had been instrumental in helping the 28-year-old Italian sprinter win gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Now, Jacobs has reportedly found a new coach and is set to relocate from Rome to Jacksonville, Fla., to join Rana Reider and his Tumbleweed Track Club–a choice that is laden with controversy.

Reider is renowned for coaching some of the world’s top sprinters, including Trayvon Bromell of the U.S., British sprinter Daryll Neita and the previous Olympic 200m champion, Canada’s own Andre De Grasse. However, his association with disgraced sprinter Blessing Okagbare, who received a large doping ban in 2022, invited scrutiny.

Earlier this year, Reider found himself embroiled in a case with the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an organization responsible for handling allegations of sexual abuse in Olympic and Paralympic sports. The case revolved around a “consensual romantic relationship with an adult athlete,” as stated by an attorney. Reider admitted to having an intimate, but consensual, relationship with an 18-year-old female athlete, and acknowledged the power imbalance in the relationship. 

American coach Rana Reider cautioned by police at World Championships

Reider was required to complete an online SafeSport education course, but was allowed to continue coaching elite-level sprinters and jumpers with the Tumbleweed Track Club.

Jacobs’ desire for a change of coaching scenery does not come as a surprise, given the challenges he has faced since his unexpected Olympic victory two years ago. He has wrestled with several leg injuries that led to his withdrawal from the 100m semifinals at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon. At this year’s championships in Budapest, he encountered further disappointment as he was eliminated in the 100m semi-finals, but he played a crucial role in helping the Italian team win silver in the men’s 4x100m relay.

Switching coaches just 10 months before the 2024 Olympic Games presents its own set of challenges. It will be interesting to see if Jacobs can flourish under Reider’s guidance.