Canada triumphs with world 4x100m relay gold in national record time

Canada has won world championship gold in the men’s 4x100m for the first time since 1997. The quartet of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse ran the perfect race to take gold on U.S. soil in a Canadian record time of 37.48 seconds.

Brown got off to a great start out of the blocks, handing it off to Blake, who dashed down the back straight. Blake handed off to Rodney, who then gave an exceptional pass around the bend to De Grasse. The Olympic 200m champion was neck-and-neck with Marvin Bracy of Team USA with 100m left. But gold was never in doubt, with De Grasse pulling ahead in the final 50 metres to bring gold back to Canada.

“These guys put me in a position to contend for a spot on the podium,” De Grasse recalls his thoughts before he got the baton. “I knew I had to get out fast and just do my job.”

“We were happy to spoil the party on U.S. soil,” says De Grasse. “Since we were so close to home, it made this victory feel extra sweet.”

This gold is a story of redemption for the trio of De Grasse, Brown and Blake. De Grasse came down with COVID-19 in mid-June and found it tough to get ready for a world championships off only a few weeks of training. Brown has had a successful world championship, making two individual finals but coming just short of a medal in the 100 and 200 metres. And Blake had practical expectations after a breakout season on the Diamond League circuit, but missed the finals in both the 100 and 200.

“We have talked and dreamed about this moment together,” says De Grasse. “Three of us have been together since 2015, and now in 2022, we have proved we are the best in the world.”

The ?? boys are in order… and READY for the top of the podium! ?#WCHOregon22 #TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/gOT4MvrrFi

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) July 24, 2022

The last time Canada won gold in this event at a World Championship was with Donovan Bailey, Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert and Robert Esmie in 1997. “It’s a pretty special thing to pay homage to legends before us,” says Blake. Bailey called the race from CBC Studios in Toronto.

The previous record was set by three of the four men on this 2022 World Championship team from the bronze-medal-winning relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The 2022 World Athletics Championships are taking place from July 15-25 from Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. All the action will be brought to you by Canadian Running and Asics Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.