De Grasse hopes to resume full training 5 months after 2nd hamstring injury
Canadian sprinter has kept busy cross-training, jogging, spending time with young daughter
Heading into an important season, Canadian sprint star Andre De Grasse is weighing his options.
"I have some options in mind, still talking to figure out what the best scenario is moving forward," said De Grasse. "Right now it's just trying to wrap my mind around that, get some advice from certain people, use my own knowledge, and put that altogether to have a successful year next year."
The three-time Olympic medallist missed the 2017 world championships with a hamstring injury. That injury and a bout of mononucleosis made for a late start to the 2018 season, but he was running well in the 200 heats at the Canadian championships in July when he slowed to a walk with 30 metres to go. His second right hamstring injury cost him the rest of the season.
Watch De Grasse run the 200m at nationals:
Lack of adequate rest
Looking back, De Grasse believes the Canadian championships schedule played a part. He'd raced to bronze in the 100 metres the previous night, and had a quick turnaround before the 200 heats the next afternoon.
"And that's normal in sprinters, and I couldn't really beat myself up over that. It just wasn't a strategic move to run the 100 and then run the 200 with all that was going on with my training last season."
More daddy time
De Grasse said he's physically 100 per cent, but hasn't returned to full training. He's doing cross-training, jogging and has played some basketball. He's also cherishing the time to spend with his daughter Yuri, who was born on June 23.
"It's good. She's getting better now, she cried for the first couple of months, so there was no sleep," he said. "But luckily I wasn't competing. Other than that, it's fun, she's lovable, and she's always smiling. That's the fun part when you're having a crappy day."
I just want to prepare myself for a good year, so I can be ready for the next Olympics.— Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse on his return from a second hamstring injury
Wednesday, the sprinter was participating in National Red Mitten Day, to support the Canadian Olympic Foundation. Hudson's Bay doubled its $3.90 donation (up to $50,000) for each purchase of the popular Olympic mittens this year.
"I thought that was pretty cool, and I was excited that they asked me to be a part of it," said De Grasse, who was to appear at a popup shop in Toronto on Wednesday.
The mittens have raised over $32 million to date for the Canadian Olympic Foundation.
De Grasse, who captured Canada's imagination when he challenged Usain Bolt at the Rio Olympics, said he hopes to return to training by the end of the month. It's a late season with the world track and field championships scheduled for Sept. 28 to Oct. 6 in Qatar. "I've just got to continue to trust the process, and be patient these next couple of months," he said. "If I can do that and I'm healthy, I think that I'll be ready for the world championships in Qatar.
"I know how fast I can run," he added. "It's been a struggle this past year, so for me it's just trying to get myself up, and Tokyo [Olympics] — hear it every day — it's just around the corner. But I just want to prepare myself for a good year, so I can be ready for the next Olympics."