Andre De Grasse beats former world record holder in final race before the Olympics
Canadian Andre De Grasse won his final 100m race before the Rio Olympics on Saturday in Houston defeating the former world record holder (photo: David McColm).
Canadian Andre De Grasse won his final tune-up race before the Rio Olympics on Saturday in Houston. The Markham, Ont. native defeated former world record holder Asafa Powell to win in 10.02 at the American Track League.
The 21-year-old is one of Canada’s best shots at a medal in Rio as he will run the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay.
RELATED: Andre De Grasse’s new Pizza Pizza ad is cheesier than the pizza itself.
Powell, who has a lifetime 100m best of 9.72, finished second to De Grasse in 10.08. The Jamaican held the 100m world record between 2005 and 2008 before Usain Bolt burst onto the sprint scene. Bolt has since improved the world record to 9.58.
A photo posted by canadianrunning (@canadianrunning) on
Saturday’s competition, held at Rice University, was the second and final stop on the American Track League circuit. The event was broadcasted on ESPN in the United States. In the featured video at the top of the page, De Grasse is in lane six (sixth from the right) beside Powell in lane five. De Grasse gave Powell a glance with about five metres to go.
The time was just off De Grasse’s season best of 9.99, which he ran at the Canadian track and field championships in Edmonton on July 9. See Canadian Running‘s post-race interview with De Grasse from nationals here.
The meet organizer, Paul Doyle, is also De Grasse’s agent under Doyle Management. De Grasse is based in Phoenix where he trains with the ALTIS sprint group, one of North America’s leading training groups for short distances.
De Grasse is the reigning world championship bronze medallist in the 100m and has a lifetime best of 9.92. He is one of two Canadians to have run under 20 seconds in the 200m along with Brendon Rodney. De Grasse will face Bolt in all three of the sprint events in Rio.
RELATED: Usain Bolt running in Rio despite dropping out of Jamaica’s trials.
The Canadian signed a multi-million dollar deal with Puma in December and has been on a tear since the American collegiate championships in 2015. He won two gold medals at the Pan Am Games in Toronto last summer.
Shout out @TrackDiddy for putting on a awesome meet!??? @americantrack
— Andre De Grasse (@De6rasse) July 24, 2016
Results
1. Andre De Grasse – 10.02
2. Asafa Powell – 10.08
3. Dexter Lee – 10.14
4. Beejay Lee – 10.16
5. Xie Zhenye – 10.18
6. John Teeters – 10.21
7. Clayton Vaughn – 10.24
8. Gerald Phiri – 10.25
Two of Canada’s top hurdlers, Chanice Chase (55.55) and Noelle Montcalm (56.40), went 1-2 in the women’s 400m hurdles at the same competition. Both will represent Canada in the one-lap hurdle race in Rio.
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