Canadian track star Andre De Grasse showcased his exceptional form at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, delivering an impressive performance in his season debut. The Markham native, a seven-time Olympic medalist, excelled in the men’s 200 meters, securing victory with a swift time of 19.84 seconds. This marked De Grasse’s fastest time in the distance since his 2023 season-ending effort of 19.76 seconds.
In the 100-meter event, the 31-year-old athlete clinched a second-place finish, narrowly outpacing Kenya’s Ferdinand Ominyala with a time of 9.95 seconds. This performance stood as De Grasse’s quickest time since his bronze medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where he set a personal best of 9.89 seconds.
Expressing satisfaction with his results, De Grasse commented, “Nice way to open up the season running some strong times. But for now, I’m focused on the World Relays and teaming up with the guys next weekend and representing Canada.”
Jerome Blake, hailing from Kelowna, British Columbia, achieved a new personal record by winning the 100 meters in 9.93 seconds. Meanwhile, Canadian Audrey Leduc secured third place in the women’s 100 meters, finishing behind American athletes Gabby Thomas (10.95) and Cambrea Sturgis (11.07).