If you’re a Canadian and your heart was almost pumping out of your chest after that race, you may want to get your vitals checked.
On a damp, rainy day in Paris, the Canadian quartet of Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney, Jerome Blake and anchor Andre De Grasse shocked the world by capturing gold in the men’s 4×100 relay — a race they entered as massive long-shots to win at 50-1 odds.
Adding more theatre to Canada’s incredible triumph was the fact De Grasse, running last, was stuck in the middle of the pack before finding another gear over the last 20-30 metres and blistering past the field to cross the line first in thrilling fashion.
Canadians also got to relish the win a little bit more with the Americans’ brutal 7th-place finish — which was revoked after Team USA was disqualified for a botched handoff during the race.
It left a nation wondering if polarizing U.S. star Noah Lyles — who didn’t end up competing in the relay after contracting COVID — was still scoffing at the idea of Canada-USA relay rivalry. Even sprinting legend Donovan Bailey had to chime in following the win:
“There’s an easy way to humble someone” @donovanbailey reacts to Noah Lyles’ comments from the 2024 World Athletics relays where he doubted that Canada would threaten the USA’s chances at the gold medal 🇨🇦
Watch the full reaction at 11 pm ET on Paris Tonight with @arielhelwani… pic.twitter.com/usxbi4Sv2j
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
Earlier this year, Noah Lyles was asked if he saw Canada as a threat in the 4x100m in Paris.
He mockingly laughed it off.
Today, team Canada won the Gold medal in Men’s 4x100m & US got disqualified.
Makes this victory even more beautiful 🏅pic.twitter.com/Jj7BXMfQTb
— Shaan (@Shanyousaf6) August 9, 2024
The gold marks the seventh Olympic medal of De Grasse’s career and the second gold after he won silver in the men’s 200-metre in Tokyo three years ago. It ties him with Penny Oleksiak as Canada’s most decorated Olympian ever.
De Grasse — who has reportedly been dealing with a lingering leg injury for months — didn’t even qualify for the finals in the men’s 100-metre or his specialty, the 200-metre, for the first time in his Olympic career, leading to speculation that the Scarborough, Ontario, native could possibly forego the 4×100-metre relay event.
Not only did De Grasse run, he arguably ran the race of his life — and Canadians were quick to flock to social media to praise their gutsy sprinting hero.
ANDRE DE GRASSE YALL MUSTVE FORGOT!
Wow, that gave me chills. That was incredible.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) August 9, 2024
Hard to believe this guy who was running with his shoes untied at a York Region high school track meet more than a decade ago, went on to be Canada’s most decorated Olympian ever. Andre De Grasse what a legend. pic.twitter.com/ACQ1j2F1CX
— Simon Martin (@Simonsscribbles) August 9, 2024
3 things guaranteed in life Death, Taxes, and Andre De Grasse going home with a medal at a championship event.
— ⚡Chris Belcher⚡ (@Chris_Belcher24) August 9, 2024
De Grasse also passed American legend Carl Lewis for second in career sprint and relay medals in the Olympics. He now sits just one behind the GOAT, Usain Bolt, in that category.
Most Olympic medals, men’s sprints/relays
Usain Bolt: 8
Andre De Grasse: 7
Carl Lewis: 6
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) August 9, 2024
Despite the individual setbacks in these Paris Games — none of the runners on Canada’s four-man team qualified for the finals in the 100-metre or 200-metre — this Canadian squad has proven to be an absolute machine when it matters most in team relay events. The quartet combined to win the world championship in 2022, while De Grasse, Rodney and Brown were all part of Canada’s silver medal-winning effort in Tokyo in the 4×100-metre.
“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 following the race.
“We talked about this moment for years. It feels good to bring it to fruition. I’m super grateful.”
The man of the moment himself also took to X (formerly Twitter) immediately following his thoroughbred-like performance:
It wasn’t just one man getting in done, however, as the entire team instantly became Canadian legends with the win after running a blistering 37.50s in the rain — a season’s best time for the squad despite the poor conditions inside Stade de France.
The electric performance from Brown, Rodney, Blake and De Grasse secured the second-ever gold medal in the men’s 4×100-metre relay for Canada. The 1996 team in Atlanta, featuring Bailey, Robert Esmie, Glenroy Gilbert and Bruny Surin, was the last and only other Canadian squad to conquer the event.
Though absolutely legendary in its own right, that Atlanta gold-medal win wasn’t nearly as shocking as the one Canadians witnessed on Friday.
And fans from coast to coast were quick to let the entire squad know exactly how incredible that result really was.
GOLD. MEDAL. CHAMPIONS!!!!!🏅🏅🏅🏅
The Silver Medalists in Tokyo have now won GOLD in Paris in the Men’s 4×100 Relay!!!
🇨🇦Andre De Grasse
🇨🇦Brendon Rodney
🇨🇦Jerome Blake
& 🇨🇦Aaron Brown
THE FOUR FASTEST MEN IN THE WORLD! Canada up to 23 Medals!! #Paris2024 #Athletics pic.twitter.com/We2A1tB7er
— Jacob Pacheco (@JacobPacheco6) August 9, 2024
Contrary to the result that Canadians are celebrating with all of their hearts, the favoured Americans had an absolutely disastrous race, finishing seventh before being disqualified following the event.
Lyles, who won the gold in the men’s 100-metre and bronze in the 200-metre earlier these Games, didn’t race for Team USA in the relay after he contracted COVID earlier in the week. Despite his absence, Canadian fans, media outlets and Olympians dragged Lyles online as some of his old comments started surfacing on social media immediately following Friday’s final.
This is the good stuff, Canada.
At the World Relays in the spring, a reporter asked USA’s Noah Lyles if he saw Canada as a threat in the 4x100m in Paris.
“Who? Who?”
He laughed it off.
With Lyles sidelined, the USA were disqualified today and Canada won gold.
pic.twitter.com/cBemwt45z9
— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) August 9, 2024
It gets so much better!! 😂😂
Earlier this year, Noah Lyles mocked Canada as a non-threat in the 4x100m Olympics.
Today’s end result? USA was disqualified and Canada won gold!!
🤭🤭🤭 pic.twitter.com/csujvyIyGM
— Solomon King #March2Parliament (@solomonking) August 9, 2024
Earlier this year at the World Athletic Relays, a reporter asked USA’s Noah Lyles if he saw Canada as a threat in the 4x100m in Paris.
Lyles responded, “Who? Who?”
The USA were disqualified today and Canada won gold. pic.twitter.com/FGJYXh9LXX
— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) August 9, 2024
The relay team’s gold medal means Canada has tied their record for most golds at a non-boycotted Olympic Games with seven, as well as their most medals — 24 (including their guaranteed medal from Friday’s women’s beach volleyball final).
What a damn day to be a Canuck.
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Publish date : 2024-08-09 09:48:00
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