By Canadian Press

A month after contracting COVID-19, De Grasse withdraws from world 200 metres

Jul 18, 2022 | 9:12 AM

EUGENE, Ore. — Canadian sprint star Andre De Grasse has withdrawn from the 200 metres at the world track and field championships, the event in which he won Olympic gold last summer in Tokyo.

The 27-year-old from Markham, Ont., tested positive for COVID-19 less than a month ago, and told The Canadian Press that whether he would run the 200 in Eugene would be a “game-time decision.”

The 200-metre heats were scheduled for Monday evening. Athletics Canada confirmed his withdrawal.

De Grasse, who hadn’t raced since June 18, failed to qualify for the 100-metre final at Hayward Field, running 10.21 in his semifinal.

He said afterward that he wasn’t 100 per cent but wanted to give it his best shot at the world championships.

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De Grasse, a six-time Olympic medallist, said he’ll still run the men’s 4×100-metre relay. Canada won silver in the relay at the Tokyo Olympics.

Before Saturday, De Grasse had won a medal in every individual race he’d run at both the world championships and Olympics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2022.

The Canadian Press