Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse wins bronze in men’s 100 metres

TOKYO — Canada’s Andre De Grasse has claimed the bronze medal in the men’s 100 metres for the second straight Olympics.

The 26-year-old from Markham, Ont., overcame a rough start and raced to third in a personal-best time of 9.89 seconds.

Italy’s Lamont Jacobs took the gold in 9.80 seconds, followed by American Fred Kerley in 9.84 seconds. All three medallists ran personal bests.

It’s Canada’s first track and field medal at the Tokyo Olympics. It’s also the latest piece of hardware in the event for De Grasse, who won bronze in the 100 in both the 2016 Olympics and 2019 world championships. 

Two hours earlier, De Grasse ran 9.98 to finish second in his semifinal and seventh overall. 

De Grasse is the first Canadian male to climb the medal podium in Tokyo. Led by swimming superstar Penny Oleksiak, women had captured all of Canada’s 13 previous medals.  

De Grasse will have a day off before he’s back on the track for the 200 heats and semifinal on Tuesday. He captured silver in the 200 at both the 2016 Olympics and 2019 world championships. 

There was no clear-cut favourite in the men’s 100 this year with the retirement of Usain Bolt. The Jamaican superstar and world record-holder (9.58) captured gold and silver in the 100 and 200 in the Beijing, London and Rio, and what the media dubbed his “bromance” with fellow Puma athlete De Grasse was an entertaining storyline in Rio.

American Christian Coleman, the reigning world 100-metre champion and the sprinter considered De Grasse’s biggest challenge in Tokyo, is serving a doping suspension through May of next year.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2021. 

The Canadian Press