Andre De Grasse paces Canada to gold medal upset in men’s 4×100 relay

CITYnews halifax / By John Marchesan

Canada has won the gold medal in the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the Paris Olympics on Friday.

The men’s team of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse crossed the line in a season-best time of 37.50, beating South Africa by just 7-100ths of a second. Great Britain claimed the bronze.

The powerhouse Americans, missing star Noah Lyles who withdrew because of COVID-19, were disqualified after botching an exchange.

For De Grasse, who failed to make the finals of the 100 and 200 metre events, he is now tied with swimmer Penny Oleksiak as Canada’s most decorated Olympian with his seventh career medal (two gold, two silver, three bronze).

“It feels pretty amazing. To be out with these guys, my brothers, I’ve been with them since the beginning of time, so it’s amazing,” said De Grasse.

“We talked about this moment for years. It feels good to bring it to fruition. I’m super grateful.”

It is the third consecutive Olympic medal for Canada in this event after silver in 2021 and bronze in 2016. It’s the first gold medal in the event since Donovan Bailey paced the relay team to the top of the podium in 1996 in Atlanta.

It is Canada’s seventh gold medal of these Olympic Games which equals the total from Tokyo 2021 and Barcelona 1992 which ties a national record for most-ever won at a non-boycotted Summer Olympics. The 23 overall medals are one shy of the total won in Tokyo three years ago.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Sade McCreath, Jacqueline Madogo, Marie-Eloise Leclair and Audrey Leduc finished sixth in the women’s 4×100-metre relay in 42.69 seconds in pouring rain.

The United States, anchored by 100-metre silver medallist Sha’Carri Richardson, won in 41.78 seconds, just ahead of Great Britain (41.85). Germany was third in 41.97.