Gabriela DeBues-Stafford continues comeback season, advancing in world 1,500m
DeBues-Stafford was one of six Canadians to advance on Day 1 of the 2025 World Athletics Championships
Nick Iwanyshyn
The opening night of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday delivered in front of a sold-out stadium. Team Canada’s Day 1 campaign began with an act that was tough to follow, but six Canadians, led by Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, booked their well-deserved tickets to the next round in their respective events.
The comeback season continues
On her 30th birthday, Canadian 1,500m record holder DeBues-Stafford returned to the outdoor world stage for the first time in four years. Twelve months ago, she fell short of qualifying for the Paris Olympics–but a year later, she advances to the semi-final of the World Championships after taking fourth in her heat in 4:02.00. DeBues-Stafford’s time ended up being the fourth-fastest time in the heats, just shy of her season’s best.
Gabriela DeBues-Stafford continues her unbelievable comeback season with the fourth-fastest time in 1,500m heats (4:02.00). She’ll advance to tomorrow’s semi-final. pic.twitter.com/PgfknL274R
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) September 13, 2025
The run marks another incredible performance in DeBues-Stafford’s unbelievable 2025 season, after a tough few years battling serious injuries. The last time DeBues-Stafford competed for Canada at a major championship was at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, on the very same track at the National Stadium.
DeBues-Stafford’s sister, Lucia Stafford, and Cobourg, Ont.’s Kate Current, also competed in the 1,500m heats, taking sixth and tenth in their respective heats; neither will advance to Sunday’s semi-final.
Desgagnés crashes in men’s 3,000m steeplechase
In the final lap of his 3,000m steeplechase heat, Quebec’s Jean-Simon Desgagnés got caught up in a tangle with New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish, and both men went down. Beamish went on to take second and secure a spot in the final, while Desgagnés settled for a tough 10th place. After a review of the spill, Desgagnés was handed a ticket to Monday’s final on a referee’s decision.
Four Canadians advance in the 100m
Although it was never in doubt, Canada’s most decorated male Olympian, Andre De Grasse, delivered once again on the world stage, qualifying out of the men’s 100m heats with his second-fastest time of the 2025 season (10.17). De Grasse wasn’t the only Canadian man to advance to the 100 semi-final. Joining him will be Jerome Blake of Kelowna, B.C., who placed second in his heat to American Kenny Bednarek, in 10.05 seconds. Ottawa’s Eliezer Adjibi, who was making his world championship debut in the 100m, put on a late surge in his heat to take second behind the reigning Olympic silver medallist, Kishane Thompson, in 10.19 seconds.
All three men will get an opportunity to run for a spot in the world 100m final on Sunday night.
On the women’s side, Audrey Leduc was the sole athlete to advance, taking third in heat four of the women’s 100m in a time of 11.26 seconds. The reigning Olympic champion, Julien Alfred of St. Lucia, won heat four and led all qualifying with a 10.93 clocking. Toronto’s Sade McCreath finished fourth in her heat and will not advance to Sunday’s semi-final.
See here for full results from the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Canadian Running’s coverage of the 2025 World Athletics Championships is brought to you by ASICS Canada.
