4x100m Relay | Gold for Canadians

Twenty-eight years after the miracle of Atlanta, the miracle of Paris. The Canadians won the gold medal in the 4×100 m relay on the athletics track.

In pouring rain at the Stade de France, everything worked out for the four-man team. Aaron Brown got off to a strong start, and Jerome Blake followed up with the same passion, as did Brendon Rodney. Three clear relays led to the final stretch, led by Andre De Grasse, who covered the last 100 meters in 8.89 seconds – Blake had run his segment in 8.98 seconds.

At the finish line, Canada was ahead of South Africa and Great Britain. The Americans, disqualified, had a catastrophic exit.

Excluded from the individual 100m and 200m finals in the past week, De Grasse had explained that he was bothered by a hamstring injury that had come back to haunt him just before the Games. However, he had felt that he would be more comfortable in the relay, taking advantage of a flying start rather than on the blocks.

His prediction came true. He charged at a blistering pace, leading the entire way through the final section of the competition. Running down lane 9, he glanced to his left just before the finish, realizing the victory he was about to seal.

Immediately after the finish, he jumped into Aaron Brown’s arms. Their excitement was certainly mixed with surprise, as the Canadians were not seen as favourites in this relay.

The country thus collects a third consecutive medal in the men’s 4x100m, after the bronze in Rio in 2016 and the silver in Tokyo in 2021. De Grasse, for his part, brings his personal career total to seven – three in the relay, two bronze in the 100m as well as gold and silver in the 200m.

Canadians seventh

In the women’s race, the Canadians had to settle for seventh place in the 4x100m relay final, in a race won by the Americans.

The first segment, that of Sade McCreath, was the slowest, and the first relay, to Jacqueline Madogo, was relatively difficult. Last to start, Quebecer Audrey Leduc was the fastest of her team (10.27 s) after having accepted the baton from her compatriot Marie-Éloïse Leclair. The quartet finished the event in 42.69 s.

The four Canadians were at their first Olympic Games. This is what prompted Audrey Leduc, in an interview with Radio-Canada, to say that she wanted to take the experience she acquired in Paris to the next World Championships.

The United States caused no surprise by winning gold in 41.78 seconds, just ahead of Great Britain (41.85 seconds) and Germany (41.97 seconds).

The reigning Olympic champions, Jamaica, could only manage fifth place.