Canadian sprinters win bronze in men’s 4×100 relay; De Grasse gets 6th Olympic medal

TOKYO – Andre De Grasse ran a blistering anchor leg, and Canada’s men’s 4×100 relay team won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.

It’s the third medal of the Games, and sixth Olympic medal overall, for De Grasse.

The 26-year-old from Markham, Ont., overtook the Chinese runner in the final leg as Canada finished in a season-best time of 37.7 seconds.

Italy finished first in 37.5 seconds, followed by Britain in 37.51.

De Grasse led a team that included Toronto’s Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake of Kelowna, B.C., and Toronto’s Brendon Rodney.

It’s Canada’s second straight Olympic bronze in the event.

De Grasse anchored Canada to bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. They narrowly missed making the final at the 2019 world championships.

Canada won gold in the event at the 1996 Atlanta Games with a team that included Donovan Bailey, who also won the 100 metres at that Games, and Bruny Surin.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2021.