Bolt-De Grasse rivalry becomes bromance
Only surprise at the men's 100m final is how foes are friends
By Nicole Winchester, CBC Sports
Sunday night's 100-metre final was highly anticipated across the country and around the world. Canadians wanted to see how our fastest man, Andre De Grasse, would stack up against the world's fastest man, Jamaica's Usain Bolt.
And the rest of the world wanted to see if Bolt could retain his Olympic championship.
Canadians were hyped.
Less than an hour. 100m semi-final. Who's watching? Has there been a more anticipated night of running in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAN?src=hash">#CAN</a>? Maybe not for 20 years.
—@Devin_HerouxGood luck to all athletes in the 100m. Let's hope for fast races, healthy athletes and an amazing night of athletics! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a>
—@BrunySurinTicket to 100 metre final! So lucky!! <a href="https://twitter.com/usainbolt">@usainbolt</a> vs <a href="https://twitter.com/De6rasse">@De6rasse</a>! Excité! <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOlympics">@CBCOlympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCMontreal">@CBCMontreal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RDSca">@RDSca</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Rio2016_en">@Rio2016_en</a> <a href="https://t.co/kHqhH4PSdV">pic.twitter.com/kHqhH4PSdV</a>
—@Polo4Rio<a href="https://twitter.com/donovanbailey">@donovanbailey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamCanada">@TeamCanada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/De6rasse">@De6rasse</a> I hope so. My Donovan Bailey Corn Flakes are getting a little stale.
—@torontopoetAndre <a href="https://twitter.com/De6rasse">@De6rasse</a>'s mom & "auntie". They sent text, love and good luck. Got the 👍🏽👍🏽100m semi coming up <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOlympics">@CBCOlympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/yJxO9VNNEN">pic.twitter.com/yJxO9VNNEN</a>
—@StephJenzerYou've got this, De Grasse. Sincerely, Degrassi 🇨🇦
—@DegrassiEven the Tragically Hip tour couldn't detract from the 100m semifinals.
Everybody at The Hip concert going nuts watching de Grasse on the bar TVs before the show.
—@tsnjamesduthieAnd another deGrasse — Neil deGrasse Tyson — dropped a bit of science into the discussion.
100,000 meters per sec: Lightning Bolt<br>13.4 meters per sec: Bolt<br>10.4 meters per sec: Usain Bolt <a href="https://t.co/a01MwCiihS">pic.twitter.com/a01MwCiihS</a>
—@neiltysonBolt and De Grasse finished first and second in their semifinal heat — but they didn't seem like that intensified their rivalry. In fact, people noticed that they had a "bromance."
I just want someone to look at me the way Usain Bolt looks at Andre De Grasse <a href="https://t.co/YMf45bTLbH">pic.twitter.com/YMf45bTLbH</a>
—@BuzzFeedCanadaFind someone who looks at you like Andre De Grasse looks at Usain Bolt. <a href="https://t.co/oQjQhj7auW">pic.twitter.com/oQjQhj7auW</a>
—@BlakeMurphyODCusain: did you like that race, did you, did you?<br>andre: usain I swear to god this is not the time <a href="https://t.co/vfSweg66Om">pic.twitter.com/vfSweg66Om</a>
—@BuzzFeedCanadaI'm here for the big brother/little brother dynamic between Usain Bolt and Andre De Grasse. <a href="https://t.co/4kdObnPz0A">pic.twitter.com/4kdObnPz0A</a>
—@iD4ROLove the respect Bolt shows for DeGrasse. Let's do this.
—@mattgallowaycbcWhen it comes to the 100m, even friends have to be foes. An hour and a half later, the hopes of both their nations rode on their shoulders, and neither man disappointed. Bolt won his third gold in a row at an Olympic Games, while De Grasse took bronze in his very first outing as an Olympian.
Celebrities and athletes around the world congratulated both of the medallists.
Pumped for Justin Gatlin, but a little more excited for De Grasse. Great race by all. That was fun to watch
—@BoLeviMitchellDe Grasse now more popular in Canada than Degrassi. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash">#Olympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash">#Canada</a>
—@markcritchLarge up Degrasse yo-made Canada PROUD!!!!
—@KardinalONothing u can do vs that cheetah! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bolt?src=hash">#Bolt</a>
—@KingJamesBOOM there it is <a href="https://twitter.com/usainbolt">@usainbolt</a> and my fellow🦁 remains on top& undefeated!🏅💪 Never underestimate when a Lion roars!! 😉
—@JoCalvinoHe did that!!! Go Usain!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RioOlympics2016?src=hash">#RioOlympics2016</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UsainBolt?src=hash">#UsainBolt</a> <a href="https://t.co/zigguh7mHl">https://t.co/zigguh7mHl</a>
—@patinamillerUsain Bolt laughing his way through the semi final and final race lol. #🐐
—@mreilly93How you eat up a lead like that in the 100m? How Sway? I'll wait
—@JForsettjust witnessed greatness <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fastesthumanontheplanet?src=hash">#fastesthumanontheplanet</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/usainbolt">@usainbolt</a>
—@JonasJerebkoCongrats,but this is not fair Bolt Ji,you should be in F1 race without a Car & I think u will still win with ur feet <a href="https://t.co/72oX3sBwKi">https://t.co/72oX3sBwKi</a>
—@virendersehwagUsain Bolt is not real...
—@L_Bell26Bolt is not only the fastest man in the world, but perhaps the fastest tweeter in the world. This tweet came out while he was still on the track:
Jamaica Stand Up!!! <br>This for you my people
—@usainboltAnd later, he thanked his "peeps" for their support.
Thanks for all the support my peeps <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blessed?src=hash">#blessed</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamBolt?src=hash">#TeamBolt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamJamaica?src=hash">#TeamJamaica</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/rGFaLH8hP9">pic.twitter.com/rGFaLH8hP9</a>
—@usainboltEven Canadian bronze medal winner Brianne Theisen-Eaton had to get a selfie with Bolt.
Get your Olympic medal ✔️ Hop the fence ✔️ Get a selfie with Bolt ✔️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rio2016?src=hash">#rio2016</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/olympics?src=hash">#olympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/athletics?src=hash">#athletics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/heptathlon?src=hash">#heptathlon</a> <a href="https://t.co/PQ6sDMwxfV">pic.twitter.com/PQ6sDMwxfV</a>
—@btheiseneatonReally, it's Usain Bolt's world, and we're all living in it.
Basically. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UsainBolt?src=hash">#UsainBolt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash">#Olympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/aP8Ggc7QjF">pic.twitter.com/aP8Ggc7QjF</a>
—@BpopeTVThough Bolt thinks we might be living in De Grasse's world next.
"I told Blake. Watch him. Watch him, Blake. He's coming." Big brother, little brother <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bromance?src=hash">#Bromance</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/4979D0i4kG">https://t.co/4979D0i4kG</a>
—@CBCOlympicsBasically, BFFs.
What therefore <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOlympics">@CBCOlympics</a> coverage hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Usain Bolt and Andre De Grasse are officially besties.
—@PeterDyakowskiAre you in love with the Bolt-De Grasse bromance? Do we call them "DeBolt?" Let us know at @CBCOlympics.