Sprinter Andre De Grasse has captured the bronze medal in the men’s 100-metres event, becoming the first Canadian male athlete to reach the podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
De Grasse, who also won bronze at 2016 Rio Olympics, finished third in the final Sunday, clocking a personal best time of 9.89 seconds behind Italian gold-medallist Lamont Marcell Jacobs and American Fred Kerley who took silver.
The 26-year-old Ontarian had come into the final with a season best time of 9.91 seconds in the heats on Saturday.
The race got off to a false start with the disqualification of Britain’s Zharnel Hughes.
With a personal best 9.80 seconds, Italy’s Jacobs took gold followed by American Kerley who also ran his best time of 9.84 seconds.
Two hours before the final showdown, De Grasse ran 9.98 to finish second in his semi-final and seventh overall.
This is Canada’s first track and field medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Before De Grasse’s podium finish, all of Canada’s 13 medals at this year’s Games had been won by women athletes.
Swimmer Penny Oleksiak, who won the seventh Olympic medal of her career on Saturday, has emerged as Canada’s most decorated Olympian.
De Grasse will have a day off before he’s back on the track for the 200-metres heats and semi-final on Tuesday. He captured silver in the 200-metres event at both the 2016 Olympics and 2019 world championships.
— with files from the Canadian Press
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