Tokyo – Canada’s Andre De Grasse ran his fastest 100-metre time ever to capture the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
“From me this is an amazing moment. Last year I never thought we would be here in Tokyo,” De Grasse said after the race. “And to get back on the podium it’s amazing.”
De Grasse, whose father is the late Barbadian journalist and educator Alex Waithe, finished the race in 9.89 seconds, while Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs took the gold in 9.80. The silver went to Fred Kerley of the United States.
De Grasse, from Markham, Ont., is Canada’s first male athlete to win an Olympic medal at the Games.
Starting in lane nine, at about the 60-metre mark, De Grasse seemed to be out of the race before making a valiant charge down the stretch before running out of room.
“I knew it was going to be a tough one after I drew lane nine. I didn’t have a great semifinal and I knew I had to come out and try and execute as best as I can,” he said. “I ran a personal best and I am really grateful for that.”
Donovan Bailey, who won gold in this race for Canada at the 1996 Olympics, said De Grasse did all he could.
“The race that he ran from lane nine was probably the best race he could have run,” said Bailey, who is now an analyst for CBC Sports. “A tremendous last 30 metres allowed [De Grasse] to continue his podium run.” (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
