‘New step’ and a stellar season
First-time father De Grasse and star-on-the-rise Brown lead the Canadian charge at Jerome
Andre De Grasse stole the show at Monday’s news conference to promote The Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome track meet, talking up being a new father.
Aaron Brown could snag some of the spotlight for himself at the actual competition at Swangard Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday, considering the way his season has been trending.
Sprinting seems to be getting back on a faster and faster track in this country these days, making it possible to even reminisce about two decades ago when Donovan Bailey, Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert and Robert Esmie were running amok.
De Grasse is already all the rage, of course, especially thanks to his much-publicized rivalry with Usain Bolt at the Rio 2016 Games. It will be interesting to see how he handles the China-Canada Team Sprint Challenge that’s headlining the Jerome, considering his daughter Yuri was only born Saturday.
Brown, meanwhile, is having himself a stellar season, highlighted by breaking the elusive 20-second barrier in the 200 metres when he clocked a 19.98 at a meet in Oslo on June 7. He’s run few 100-m races to date, but does have a 10.12 effort to his credit, from an April 28 competition in Clermont, Fla.
“I feel like I’m getting a little more respect and a little more attention from my contemporaries and the media in general,” said Brown, 26, a Toronto native whose run in Oslo is the fastest for a Canadian since De Grasse’s Canadian-record run of 19.8 at the Rio Games. “It feels good. This is where you want to be as an athlete. I want to build off that.
“This is good exposure (at the Jerome) and another opportunity to get my name out there in my home country.”
As for running this well this season, Brown explained: “This is what I expected for a couple of years. It just hasn’t turned out that way. That’s the thing with track — when it clicks, it does. You are happy when it does and you finally break through.”
Brown was three and four years old when Bailey and Co. were on top of the running world, doing things like winning the 4x100-m relay at the Atlanta 1996 Games with a then-Canadian record time of 37.69. When De Grasse, Brown, Brendon Rodney and Akeem Haynes bettered that national mark with a 37.64 that garnered bronze at Rio 2016, Brown admitted, “that was something special because we know what that group meant to Canada.”
“We want to continue off that and get even better. Hopefully, we win a gold medal on a big stage,” said Brown.
Gilbert was there Monday. He’s Athletics Canada’s head coach. Esmie was there too, handling interview duties before the assembled masses with the 4x100 team. That’s where Markham, Ont., product De Grasse first talked about the family addition.
“It’s a different type of feeling. It’s a new step into becoming a man. It’s a new chapter in my life,” continued De Grasse, 23, who wasn’t joined on this trip by the baby or girlfriend, Nia Ali. “It (the preceding 48 hours) has been a little bit of no sleep. I get a chance now to get away and get to the hotel and get a little sleep before the race tomorrow.”
The China-Canada women and men’s 4x400 relays highlight Tuesday’s competition. They’re among the final events of the evening, slated to go at 8:32 and 8:40 p.m., respectively.
The 4x100 relays are the showcase for Wednesday. They, too, help finish off the night, slated for 8:52 and 9 p.m. starts.
Brown admits to being keen on the team concept.
“We need fresh ideas for track and field,” said Brown. “Having a dual meet with another country that’s good like China is a fresh idea that can bring some attention to the sport. I’m all for it. It should be fun.”
Tickets are still available. Check out the meet website at harryjerome.com for more information.