OSTRAVA (Czech Republic) (AFP) – Olympic champions Marcell Jacobs and Andre De Grasse said Monday they relished "sharing every moment" as they compete with each other during joint training sessions.
Italian Jacobs, who stunned the athletics world three years ago with two gold medals in the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games, joined US coach Rana Reider's training group last autumn.
The Florida-based group also includes Canadian De Grasse, American Trayvon Bromell and Japanese sprinter Abdul Hakim Sani Brown.
"It's amazing because in Rome I always worked alone," Jacobs told reporters ahead of Tuesday's Golden Spike meet in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava.
"Now I am in a group so everything has changed... you have competition every day," added the 29-year-old Olympic 100 metres and 4x100m relay champion.
"For me it's very important, working with Andre is a lot of fun, we can share every moment. I like it a lot," Jacobs said.
De Grasse, the reigning Olympic 200m champion and who took bronze behind Jacobs in the 100m, said he liked "to feed off the competition".
Jacobs "has come to Florida for five or six months, now I'm going to Italy where he's at home to train with," added the 29-year-old De Grasse, identifying himself as a spaghetti carbonara fan.
They will be training in the central Italian town of Rieti.
"Rome is not too far, it's one of my favourite cities... and now it will be easier for me to go to competitions in Europe and not be too jetlagged and tired going into meets," said De Grasse.
Before the Olympic Games start in July, Jacobs is due to defend his European 100m title in Rome next month.
De Grasse said he would be in the stands to cheer for his teammate.
"I want to go. He told me he runs on Saturday so we won't have training that day," he added.
Jacobs said he had asked his entire team to support him as "for the first time we are not competitors".
At Ostrava, Jacobs will run 100m while De Grasse will compete in both the 100 and 200m.
Jacobs set his season best of 10.07 seconds in Rome a week ago, trailing his personal best of 9.80sec.
De Grasse has so far managed 10.11sec in the 100m this season, way off his personal best of 9.89sec.
Ostrava will be his first 200m start this season.
Jacobs generously offered to share the spoils.
"I can win the 100, he can win the 200."