Andre De Grasse will not run 2017 IAAF World Championships

One of Canada's best hopes for a medal announced he has a torn hamstring, and will not get to face off against Usain Bolt one final time

Andre De Grasse
Photo: Michael Doyle.

Days before the IAAF World Championships are set to start in London, Andre De Grasse, one of Canada’s best track athletes, has pulled out. 

De Grasse has sustained a hamstring tear this week and the injury is going to cause him to give London a miss. De Grasse was named to Team Canada to compete in the 100m, 200m, and 4 x 100m relay. For many Canadians fans, he was to be the star of the show. 

The Marham, Ont. athlete suffered the hamstring injury on Monday. It is a grade two tear which means he’ll be out of commission for four to six weeks. In other words, his season is over. 

Last year in Rio, De Grasse and sprint icon Usain Bolt made quite a lot of noise as the two took to the track and captivated the crowd with their friendly rivalry. Many Canadians hoped that De Grasse would beat the Jamaican star. De Grasse brought home a bronze and silver medal in the 100m and 200m. This year’s World Championships were to be the grand finale of these two track legends as they were to go head-to-head once again before Bolt’s retirement. 

The World Championships star on Aug. 4. The men’s 100m finals are scheduled for Saturday. 

Facebook statement from Andre De Grasse

“To my fans and my supporters;
Earlier this week in practice, I suffered a hamstring tear that has forced me to withdraw from the World Championships.
Injuries are a part of the sport, and the timing of this one is especially unfortunate. While I’m in the best shape of my life and extremely disappointed that I will not have the chance to compete for my country in London, I can’t forget or be ungrateful for the successes that I’ve been blessed with up to this point in my career.
Thank you to my family, friends and fans that have supported me all the way….. I’ll be back stronger and faster than ever.
But for now, Canada still has a very strong team at the World Championships. They are preparing to take on the world, and the focus should be on them.”

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