Twenty-six years after Robert Esmee, Glenroy Gilbert, Bruni Surin and Donovan Bailey won gold for Canada in the men’s 4x100m relay Saturday night in Georgia at the 1996 Olympics, another Canadian quartet of runners won gold again – this time on Saturday night in Eugene, Oregon.
With a raucous American crowd going crazy for the heavily favored Team USA at the World Athletics Championships, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendan Rodney and Andre DeGrasse ran the race of their lives to win gold for Canada.
Their time of 37.48 seconds is the fastest in the world this season and a new Canadian record.
“It means everything. We’ve been talking about this for a few years now. Last year at the Olympics. It feels good to have him here. A lot of Canadian fans here, so it almost feels like I’m on home soil,” DeGrasse said.
The United States finished second in 37.55, while Great Britain won bronze in 37.83.
WATCH Canada’s men win gold in the 4x100m relay at the World Athletics Championships:
Canadian men’s 4x100m gold at the World Championships
Canadians Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendan Rodney and Andre de Grasse topped the men’s 4x100m podium at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
It’s the first time a Canadian men’s relay team has won gold on American soil since those Games in Atlanta in 1996. It also marks the sixth time Canadians have won a relay medal at a world championships – three gold and three bronze.
Fans at Hayward Field were amazed when DeGrasse passed American Marvin Bracey to cross the finish line first – DeGrasse threw his arms in the air in celebration.
He finished with a time of 8.79.
His efforts are all the more remarkable considering he had COVID-19 less than a month ago. He chose not to compete in the 200 meters – he is the reigning Olympic champion in that event.
But De Grasse has put team and country ahead of all the individual aspirations in the world to ensure he gets a break for the relay.
“It feels great to finish like that after a tough start. To do it with these guys. It feels great,” he said.
Canadian Andre DeGrasse held off American Marvin Bracey for victory on Saturday night. (Ashley Landis/Associated Press)
It was a perfectly executed race from start to finish for Canada. Brown exploded out of the blocks, putting the Canadians in a strong position early in the second leg.
The 30-year-old from Toronto is competing in his eighth Worlds.
“I trusted these guys. We had the right distance. I love these guys and I’m so proud,” he said. “I’ve worked so hard this championship and to end it like this is the icing on the cake. I’m so proud of these guys.”
Blake, who is somewhat new to the team, ran an 8.86 to keep Canada ahead.
“I feel good. Aaron just said listen to me this time. I came out as hard as I could and when I got the bat I went, it feels good,” Blake said.
“Glenroy told us in our meeting to focus on the tick. Get to the middle of the area as fast as you can. At that point I was running with a smile on my face.”
And then Rodney, who is a corner specialist, rounded the corner with speed and power.
“We’re working on the distance. As soon as I saw Jerome review this tape, I braced myself. Just a great day,” he said. “Chemistry is everything. We worked hard training. My job here in these worlds was the relay. Now we have the whole collection.”
De Grasse then brought it home to Canada ahead of Bracey.
WATCH | Donovan Bailey on Canada’s gold medal win:
Donovan Bailey for Canada’s 4x100m world gold medal
3-time world champion Donovan Bailey joined Andy Petrillo and Perdita Felicien to discuss the historic men’s 4x100m final in Eugene, Oregon.
The last time a Canadian men’s team won the relay at the worlds was in 1997 in Athens. Canada’s track and field head coach Glenroy Gilbert was part of that Canadian dream team of the mid-1990s that won two world titles and world bronze, as well as Olympic gold in 1996.
“In my opinion, I think they are a stronger team than what we were. They’re not just 100m guys, they’re 200m guys too. Their capacity is much higher. We were mostly 100m sprinters,” Gilbert said.
“I’m very proud to work with them and bring the knowledge I’ve had over the years. They made it look easy.”
Gilbert tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago and has been coaching the team via Zoom. He is currently self-isolating in Eugene.
He wasn’t able to be in the stadium for Saturday night’s gold rush, but he undoubtedly played a huge part in the team’s success.
Canada’s men’s 4x100m relay team celebrates after winning gold. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)
De Grasse, Brown and Rodney were part of the last Canadian relay team to win a medal at a worlds – a bronze medal seven years ago in Beijing.
Blake was part of the team that won silver in Tokyo last summer at the Olympics.
This Canadian team talks about the importance of chemistry when it comes to the relay. They felt more prepared and more experienced than the other teams going into the final, and it showed on Saturday night.
Gilbert says it’s something they practice every spring during a number of camps and competitions.
“A lot of it is fundamentals and chemistry. All these guys are talented. If they stick to the basics under pressure, they will be successful. And the chemistry these guys have is unmistakable,” he said.
WATCH | Chemistry is a major factor for Canada’s 4x100m relay team:
The chemistry between Brown and Rodney is a boon for Canada’s 4x100m relay team
Brendan Rodney and Aaron Brown won two Olympic medals together in the 4x100m relay, but their friendship dates back to before the track.
For more stories about the experiences of black Canadians – from anti-black racism to success stories in the black community – see Being Black in Canada, a CBC project that black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
(CBC)
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