Canada’s men’s 4×100-metre relay team claimed the Olympic gold medal in stunning fashion at Stade de France on Friday.
With Andre De Grasse running the anchor leg, the Canadians posted a winning time of 37.5 seconds in Friday’s final.
South Africa was second in 37.57 seconds, and Great Britain came in third in 37.61. The United States, which botched its first handoff, was disqualified.
“It feels pretty amazing. To be out with these guys, my brothers, I’ve been with them since the beginning of time, so it’s amazing,” said De Grasse.
“We talked about this moment for years. It feels good to bring it to fruition. I’m super grateful.”
Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney claim the Olympic gold medal in the 4×100-metre relay with the winning time of 37.50.
The 29-year-old sprinter is now tied with swimmer Penny Oleksiak as Canada’s most decorated Olympian with seven career medals (two gold, two silver, three bronze).
“We all talked about this moment. It’s a complete set, we got the bronze in Rio, Tokyo we got the silver. Now it’s like icing on the cake to get the gold medal with these guys,” De Grasse said. “It’s an incredible feeling and a great way to end the Games, so I’m pretty happy.”
CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux reported one team launched a protest against the Canadian team, noting Rodney stepped on the line during his run.
The protest was declined, as a rule change allows for a runner to step on the line, but not with consecutive steps.
‘These guys can make magic together’
“I knew we were going to get together, watch the film, see what we needed to improve,” Brown said. “I never stopped believing, you know. These guys can do incredible things when we get together and put our minds to it. It showed today.
“Never count ourselves out, no matter what lane. It can be in [lane] 2, [lane] 9, we can be in the stands – it doesn’t matter. Give us a lane, give us an opportunity, and these guys can make magic together.”
It turned out lane 9 was just enough.
“Lane 9 was probably the perfect lane,” Rodney said. We’re all kind of tall, so we didn’t have to worry about anybody in Lane 9. For us, we just focus on ourselves and just get to run.”
Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney revisit the Olympic gold medal in the 4×100-metre relay race.
Canadian Olympic champion Donovan Bailey had always remained confident De Grasse would deliver in these Games.
“Amazing run,” Bailey told CBC Sports after the race. “These guys are so familiar with each other.
“Andre has no major injuries or surgeries. He was going to continue to do amazing things. … I thrived in pressure situations and Andre did the same [in the 4x100m]. We’re cut from the same cloth.”
Not one member of Canada’s gold-medal relay team managed to qualify for an individual final in the 100 or 200 earlier this week. De Grasse had never missed a final — or a podium — in his six previous Olympic events in Rio and Tokyo.
“We trust in each other, and we know each other well,” Blake said. “We just know what are the cues, what are the switches we need to flip in each person. We have such a big trust and faith in each other.”
Olympic 4×100-metre champion and Athletics Canada Head Coach Glenroy Gilbert breaks down Canada’s victory in the Olympics men’s 4x100m relay.