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TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 5: Gold Medalist Andre de Grasse of Canada during the medal ceremony of the Men’s 200m Final on day thirteen of the athletics events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 5, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
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TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 5: Gold Medalist Andre de Grasse of Canada during the medal ceremony of the Men’s 200m Final on day thirteen of the athletics events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 5, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Andre De Grasse has always walked in the shadows of Usain Bolt when it comes to the Olympics. If not Bolt, then the Americans would subdue the Canadian. Andre would always finish either 2nd or 3rd.
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But come the Tokyo Olympics, and he broke his jinx. De Grasse finally won the Olympic gold that always eluded him. He won the 200m event and set the national record with a time of 19.68seconds. Along with that, Andre also became the first Canadian to win the 200m Olympic gold since Percy Williams in 1928.
This season, De Grasse is off to a flying start with a win at the UNF Invitational.
Andre De Grasse wins the UNF Invitational
De Grasse?s breakout?season?came in 2015 when he won the 100m and the 200m events at the NCAA Championships. He clocked times of 9.75seconds and 19.58seconds, but due to them being wind-aided, they were not registered. He has since earned a reputation for being calm in tough situations, a reputation he loves.
The Canadian sprinter?s start to the new season is off to a flyer. His first event of the season was the UNF Invitational. Racing against the likes of Trayvon Brommel, Andre won the 200m event.
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DOHA, QATAR – SEPTEMBER 30: Andre De Grasse of Canada reacts in the Men’s 200 meters semi-finals during day four of 17th IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 at Khalifa International Stadium on September 30, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Clocking in at?20.67seconds?(+1.2) Andre won the gold while Trayvon placed second (20.69). Christopher Taylor finished third with a time of 20.78seconds.
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While many considered Brommel to have an easy win, Andre had other plans. The ‘fastest man on the planet’ in 2021 lost the race by two-hundredths of a second to finish second.
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Andre and Bolt’s iconic moment
During the Rio Olympics in 2016, Andre and Bolt shared an unforgettable moment. Racing in the 200m semi-final event, the two were engaged in an intense battle. While racing, the two looked at each other and smiled, thus creating an Olympic memory for years to come.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 17: Andre de Grasse of Canada (L) and Usain Bolt of Jamaica (C) react as they compete in the Men’s 200m Semifinals on Day 12 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Since it was just a qualification race, the two athletes seemed to look for some fun. Running in the same heat, Andre caught up to?Usain, who slowed down upon seeing De Grasse. The two smirked as they crossed the finishing line together.
While Bolt retired in 2017, De Grasse continued his professional career. No doubt he misses his on-track rivalry with the ‘Fastest Man on Earth.’
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Written by
Edited by
Simar Singh Wadhwa