With one goal in mind, the Canadian men’s 4x100m relay has one goal in mind: to repeat their success.
Canada won gold at the 2022 IAAF World Championships in Eugene, Oregon with a record time of 37.48 seconds. The team of Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney and Jerome Blake also tied with Japan for the best time of the year at 37.80 seconds, set in Florida on January 1um April.
On the eve of the start of the 2023 World Cup on August 27 in Budapest, Hungary, Blake said the group knew what they needed to do to repeat their successes.
“Everyone is watching us,” he insisted. So we just go out there and do what we can: good races and really good stints. We know that if we do that, we can compete at the highest level. That’s sort of the mental state we’re in right now. »
De Grasse shared a similar sentiment but acknowledged what lies ahead.
It will definitely be difficult. There are the Americans, the Jamaicans, the British. There are always two or three teams that come up, so it will definitely be a challenge, but I think we will rise to the challenge and do our best to defend that title.
Andre De Grasse
The Canadians received their silver medals from the Tokyo Olympics during a re-awarding ceremony at the Canadian Championships in Langley, British Columbia, in July.
The upgrade from bronze to silver came after a British athlete tested positive in a doping test, costing his team the silver medal.
“We were very excited to finally get our silver medal at Langley,” said De Grasse. We talked about that moment and tried to repeat the feat in Budapest. And of course to improve our medal in Tokyo.
“We got a bronze medal in Rio [2016]we won a silver medal in Tokyo [2021]so that we can complete the collection in Paris with a gold medal [en 2024] – That would be great. So I think we all strive to achieve that. »
The chemistry built up in the men’s relay over time was a major contributor to their successes.
De Grasse, Brown and Rodney have been together since 2015 when they won bronze alongside Justyn Warner at the World Championships in Beijing, China. Blake joined them in 2019.
“I think we’re pretty close,” Blake said. We talk to each other…especially when we’re at training camp and together. We play dominoes together and do activities pretty much all day, every day when we’re at camp.
“Other than that Aaron and I train together so I see him almost every day. Andre lives in Florida, so we see him every now and then. And Brendon [reste] in Jamaica, so we don’t see him in person that much, but we do have a group chat with some small talk…it’s fun. »
This proximity can also be felt in the competitive environment.
“We support each other as much as we can,” Blake said. Even before I ran the 200 meter final [aux Championnats canadiens]we wished each other good luck at the starting line.
“For us, it’s like we have a very good friendship… But at the same time, it helps a lot to see your compatriot running very fast, to know that you can count on that person to get the job done. When the time comes.” to participate in the relay. »
De Grasse believes his teammates have made significant progress ahead of the World Cup.
“I can see it from the outside when I see how much my teammates have improved and how hard they are trying to keep getting better in their individual competitions,” remarked De Grasse. Most notably after the Canadian Championships, Brendon Rodney set a personal best (10.00 seconds over 100 meters). I think that everyone is very good at repeating these successes. »
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