Athletics-Jacobs pulls out of Diamond League showdown with Kerly

FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Athletics - Men's 100m - Final - OLS - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 1, 2021. Gold medalist Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy celebrates with silver medalist Fred Kerley of the United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

(Reuters) - Olympic gold medallist Lamont Jacobs said he has been forced to "postpone" his 100 metres showdown with world champion Fred Kerley at the Diamond League meet in Rabat this weekend due to a back issue.

The Italian was set to make his first appearance in an outdoor event this year after a "winter of intense preparation" having withdrawn from last year's World Championships before the semi-finals due to a thigh injury.