Andre De Grasse voted Canada’s male athlete of the year

TORONTO – It was quite an Olympic debut for Canadian track star Andre De Grasse.

He won three medals at the Rio Games last summer and showed he belonged on the same stage as Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and the world’s best sprinters.

READ MORE: Olympic swimming star Penny Oleksiak named Canada’s athlete of the year

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De Grasse was rewarded for his accomplishments today by being named the winner of the Lionel Conacher Award as The Canadian Press male athlete of the year.

In just his second true season in the sport, the 21-year-old from Markham, Ont., won Olympic silver in the 200 metres and bronze in both the 100 and four-by-100-metre relay.

READ MORE: Year in review 2016: 10 sports moments even non-sports fans talked about

De Grasse earned 43 votes — 66 per cent overall — in the annual survey of editors and broadcasters from across the country.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was well back in second place and high jumper Derek Drouin was third. Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price won the award last year.