De Grasse wins 200m to deny Brown 5th straight sprint double at track and field nationals
1st victory in the distance for 2020 Olympic champ since 2022 outdoor season opener
For Andre De Grasse, the goal was simple: forget what happened earlier.
De Grasse won the men's 200-metre final as the Canadian track and field championship came to a close Sunday at McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.
The reigning Olympic champion in the event finished in 20.01 seconds and under the 20.16 automatic qualifying standard for the Aug. 19-27 World Athletics Championships, just ahead of fellow Olympian and teammate Aaron Brown (20.10) with Brendon Rodney (20.15) rounding out the top three.
De Grasse's previous season-best time was 20.33 from his fifth-place finish at the Bislett Games Diamond League meet on June 15.
With Sunday's win, he is automatically selected by Athletics Canada for worlds in Budapest, Hungary. It was his last chance to qualify for the Canadian team after missing the 100 final on Friday.
"I just tried to come out here with a positive attitude and have a short term memory of what happened Friday," De Grasse said.
WATCH | De Grasse wins 200m Canadian title:
The two-time Olympic bronze medallist in the 100 finished ninth in 10.21 and short of the 10.00 worlds standard. He ranks 103rd in the world in the 100 and and also wouldn't have secured a spot for the competition through the world rankings system as World Athletics targets 48 athletes from the event.
De Grasse entered Sunday's 200 ranked 14th, with World Athletics also inviting 48 athletes from that event to Budapest.
WATCH | De Grasse fails to reach 100m qualifying standard for worlds:
The 28-year-old was the fastest in Sunday's preliminary round with a time of 20.31, ahead of Jerome Blake, Brown and Rodney second to fourth respectively.
A lot of people were giving Andre a hard time, but he showed why he's an Olympic champion.— Aaron Brown on Canadian relay teammate Andre De Grasse's 200-metre win Sunday
It is De Grasse's first victory in the 200 at nationals since July 9, 2017 when he stopped the clock in a wind-assisted 19.96 in Ottawa.
His time in Sunday's final is the Markham, Ont., athlete's fastest 200 since he clocked 19.72 on Sept. 9. 2021 for second place in the Diamond League Final in Zurich.
'I'm just a little shocked'
For Brown, who won the 100 for a fifth straight time at nationals, getting beaten in the 200 was surprising.
"I'm just a little shocked. It's been a while since I lost a Canadian championship," said Brown, who was aiming to complete the sprint double at nationals for a fifth consecutive time. "I'm happy for my teammates. A lot of people were giving Andre a hard time, but he showed why he's an Olympic champion."
On Saturday, De Grasse, Blake, Brown and Rodney received relay silver medals from Tokyo's Summer Games, which were delayed from 2020 to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They were upgraded from bronze to silver after the disqualification of Britain due to a doping violation.
"I didn't sleep much last night, thinking about that moment and getting that medal after two years," De Grasse said. "It felt great to get the job done with them, I wouldn't want to get the job done with any others.
"It felt like a brotherhood."
De Grasse hadn't competed at nationals for four years due to world championship and Olympic commitments, as well as a bout with COVID-19 and a foot injury in 2022.
Brown to race 100, 200 at worlds
He and his relay teammates say they're turning their attention to the world championships.
"It's three weeks away, so I have some time," De Grasse said. "I'm taking it one day at a time, one practice at a time."
Brown expects to compete in both the 100, 200 and relay in Budapest.
"I'm not completely ready yet," he said. "I have a couple weeks to clean some stuff up before worlds."
Rodney, who hails from Etobicoke, Ont., he wanted more from himself in the 200 final.
"I'm a little upset but I'm also happy at the same time," he stated. "Next up is world championships."
In other events Sunday:
- Decathlete Pierce LePage took home gold in the men's long jump. It was his second medal at nationals after the 27-year-old from Whitby, Ont., finished third in discus Thursday.
- Nojah Parker of Woodstock, Ont., won the men's pole vault Sunday with a height of 5.40 metres.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
With files from CBC Sports
