Canada’s Andre De Grasse ended a long run of finishing with minor medals by winning the Olympic men’s 200 metres gold medal with a scorching time of 19.62 seconds on Wednesday to become the eighth fastest man over the distance.
De Grasse, who claimed the 100m bronze and 200m silver at the 2016 Olympics and 2019 World Championships, finally fulfilled his potential under the clear night sky at the Tokyo Stadium.
The 26-year-old Canadian became the first Olympic 200m champion since Jamaican Usain Bolt, who won gold at three consecutive Olympics from the 2008 Beijing Games before retiring in 2017.
For most of the race, however, it looked like De Grasse would again finish with any medal but gold.
He came into the turn third but seemed to find a higher gear to surge past his American rivals in the last 40 metres and claim victory with a Canadian national record.
The last time the United States won this event was in 2004, when they swept the medals.
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