In his first qualifying heat of the 100, de Grasse posted a time of 9.91 seconds
It’s de Grasse’s top time of the year, and only one one-hundredth of a second off his personal best.
“I didn’t expect to go that fast,” de Grasse said afterward, standing around in bare feet, carrying his shoes. “I wanted to just relax for the first round.” It was a nervy beginning in the not-quite-empty Olympic Stadium. There are no spectators, but there are a few hundred random people scattered about - journalists, officials, hangers-on with a credential. They make a surprising amount of noise.
That may have been to blame for a couple of false starts in de Grasse’s heat. But once they got underway, he seemed to have no trouble. Reminiscent of some of his outings in Rio, he swivelled his head near the finish line to appraise the rest of the field. When he saw he was alone out in front, he slowed up with a couple of strides to go.Story continues below advertisement“My coach always told me I’m better than my personal best,” de Grasse said. “He says that you’re ready to go fast. If you get that first part of the race, you can win it.”and follow all of the news, features and opinion in the Summer Games in Tokyo.
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Canadian sprinter De Grasse cruises into 100 semifinal with season-best timeCanada's Andre De Grasse cruised into the semifinals of the men's 100 metres, winning his heat in a season-best time of 9.91 seconds.
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