Andre De Grasse is the future of sprinting—and Bolt knows it
'He runs just like me,' Usain Bolt says of Canadian sprinter
By Callum Ng, CBC Sports
What is Andre De Grasse's potential?
He gave viewers a glimpse of what lies ahead after leaving Rio's Olympic Stadium with a bronze medal on Sunday. In doing so he validated all the hype.
The 78 minutes between his resilient 100-metre semifinal and impressive 9.91 personal-best time in the final showed the Canadian is the future of sprinting, and everyone knows it.
Usain Bolt (9.81) overpowered American Justin Gatlin (9.89) to win his third straight Olympic gold, setting a record that won't soon be equalled.
But the Jamaican will turn 30 the night of the closing ceremony, and there's speculation he'll retire before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At 34, Gatlin will likely call it quits well before Tokyo.
De Grasse, 21, was right there with both of them for all the world to see.
After the race, Bolt and De Grasse, both draped in their nation's flags, embraced in celebration. Bolt made it a point to tell De Grasse how bright his future is.
"He feels like I'm the next one and I'm just trying to live up to it," De Grasse said.
"He's going to be good," said Bolt. "He runs just like me — he's really slow at the blocks but when he gets going, he gets going, so I think he can improve his start much better than me because he's shorter."
"He runs just like me." Bolt giving mad props to De Grasse <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/JeovYCjExz">https://t.co/JeovYCjExz</a>
—@CBCOlympicsDifferent styles
The two have startling differences in physique. Bolt is six-foot-five and muscled. De Grasse is five-foot-nine and lean.
The physical contrast was evident as they lined up beside each other in their semifinal heat. Yet after the gun, one similarity was clear: De Grasse really does have the top-end speed to rival anyone in the world.
In fact, Bolt told teammate Yohan Blake in between the semifinals and final: "Blake, watch him [De Grasse] he's the dark horse in this race, don't forget him."
It's advice Blake, the London 2012 silver medallist, surely took note of as De Grasse out-leaned him at the finish line.
The Canadian was in Lane 7, to Bolt's right. He had his best start of the competition, yet was still behind. However, De Grasse stayed with the world's greatest sprinter even as he accelerated.
"For me it's a big deal to come third last year [at the world championships] and then this year to come in an even better field and to do the same again that's a big deal," Bolt said of De Grasse's impressive rise.
What's more impressive is that De Grasse had barely begun in the sport when Bolt was headlining the London Olympics four years ago. He burst onto the world scene at last year's Pan Am Games in Toronto, capturing both the 100 and 200 gold medals.
Sport is intriguing because of its uncertainties, and captivating because of its superstars.
Is De Grasse truly the future of sprinting?
While he's humbled at the thought, he doesn't shy away from the challenge.
"It's a tough question but I feel like I'm capable of doing it. My next Olympics I'm looking forward to it."