Men’s 200m Final Tokyo Olympics: Andre De Grasse smashes national record to get his hand on the elusive gold medal as Kenny Bednarek bags silver

Men’s 200m Final Tokyo Olympics: Andre De Grasse smashes national record to get his hand on the elusive gold medal as Kenny Bednarek bags silver

Andre De Grasse

Canada’s Andre De Grasse has finally managed to get his hands on the men’s 200m gold medal, a medal that eluded him at the Rio Olympics. De Grasse smashed the national record by clocking 19.62s at the Tokyo Olympics. It was a North American sweep in the event as America clinched the silver and bronze medal.

Kenny Bednarek bagged the silver medal with a personal best timing of 19.68s while his compatriot Noah Lyles registered a season-best timing of 19.74 to take the bronze medal. American Erriyon Knighton (19.93s) and Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh (19.98s) made up the top five of the prestigious event.

Andre De Grasse emerges from the shadow of Usian Bolt to shine in men’s 200m

Andre De Grasse men's 200m
De Grasse

Five years down the lane at the Rio Games, the legendary Usain Bolt denied De Grasse a gold medal in the event. The Canadian bounced back strong to better Bolt’s Rio timing to take home the gold. This is the first since 1928 that a Canadian has won the gold medal in the men’s 200m event.

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De Grasse earlier had repeated his Rio heroics to take the bronze medal in 100m men’s event. It is also the first time since 2004, that the Olympics champions in the 100m and 200m who are not named Usain Bolt. With the legendary Olympian gone, the field was wide open and De Grasse along with Italy’s Marcell Jacobs rose to the occasion to seize the opportunity.

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