Marcell Jacobs, the reigning 100m champion, is struggling to shake off the notion that his victory was a 'fluke'.
What happened?
Jacobs, who won the gold in 9.80sec three years ago, has not gone within 0.10sec of that time since, and his recent performances have raised doubts about his ability to retain the title.
He was 13th fastest of the qualifiers on Saturday, with a time that was far from his personal best.
Why it matters for Marcell Jacobs
The Italian athlete has had limited global success since Tokyo, going out in the semi-finals of World Championships in both Eugene in 2022 and Budapest last year.
Jacobs has also been disrupted by injuries and has changed his coach, now working with American coach Rana Reider.
What comes next?
Jacobs is adamant that he arrives in Paris as a different but better athlete, having moved country and changed his approach.
He ran 9.92sec in June, his best time for almost three years, and successfully defended his European Championship title.
Jacobs' wife, Nicole Daza, suggested that he had struggled with the fame that accompanied his Olympic triumph.
The Netflix series *Sprint* documentary features Michael Johnson calling Jacobs' win a 'fluke', which has added to the pressure on the athlete.
Jacobs has denied ever taking any illegal substance and has stated that he ended the 2021 season due to exhaustion.
He is now 29 and is focused on saving energy and qualifying for the next round.
Jacobs needs to arrive with a different mentality and push hard to retain his title.
The feeling is OK, Jacobs said, but he did a lot of mistakes in the first part and did not find a rhythm.
Tomorrow is another day, and Jacobs is determined to make it count.
He has a target on his back, but he is ready to face the challenge.
Jacobs has changed everything, including his coach and approach, and is confident that he is better now.
People don't understand that athletes are not robots, Jacobs said, and they cannot always be perfect.
Yes, he's different, but he's better, Jacobs insisted.