Canadian support comes pouring in for Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse
Andre De Grasse ran the fastest he’s ever run in the 200m final in the Tokyo Olympics, clocking 19.62 seconds to claim his first-ever gold medal.
Born in Scarborough, Ontario, the 26-year-old sprinter now has five Olympic medals through his first two Summer Games.
With a strong final 50 metres to take the gold, De Grasse topped the podium alongside American sprinters Kenny Bednarek, who won the silver medal, and Noah Lyles, who won bronze.
De Grasse also won the bronze in the 100m event earlier this week with a time of 9.89 seconds.
Support came pouring in for Canada’s latest medallist, including a tweet from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
GOLD!!! Congratulations, @De6rasse. #GoCanadaGo 🥇🇨🇦 https://t.co/2ZQhDqx1Hc
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 4, 2021
Scarborough, stand up!
Congrats, @De6rasse! 🙌🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/EkKl6c7tr9
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 4, 2021
Andre De Grasse is from Scarborough too you know, love to see it 😌🏆 #Olympics
— Licia 🇯🇲🔥 (@curatedbylicia) August 4, 2021
The Toronto came out of Andre De Grasse in the celebration. pic.twitter.com/J9fYzitZe0
— SEADE. (@MrSeyi_) August 4, 2021
I have photographed @De6rasse many times over the years, but this 2015 photo of him going to the basket with @22wiggins in high school might be the best pic.twitter.com/lBos3Ipba6
— Nick Iwanyshyn (@NickIwanyshyn) August 4, 2021
Even Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak, who has seven of her own Olympic medals as Canada’s all-time most decorated Olympian, showed love on Instagram to De Grasse.
Penny Oleksiak/ Instagram
Oleksiak shared a photo with a simple caption: “YESSIR.”
Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu also gave DeGrasse a shoutout.
Bianca Andreescu/ Instagram
De Grasse will have a chance at a sixth Olympic medal later this week in the 4x100m relay event, where Canada is expected to be a medal favourite after winning bronze in Rio.