De Grasse building to peak at Games
Canadian sprinter might feel slower but he’s still winning races as he readies for Rio
Andre De Grasse has won every race he’s entered this season, but he still has to remind himself that things will get better. That’s because the Canadian sprint sensation actually feels a little slow right now.
This time last year, he was a university runner well into his season and preparing to peak for the NCAA championships in June. Now, he’s a professional runner with a multimillion-dollar contract, a new coach and a laser focus on winning Olympic medals in August. That means he’s nowhere near his peak form yet.
“I’m in a transition (and) I’m trying to get used to it,” De Grasse said Tuesday. “The coaches always say, ‘Don’t worry about it, you’re two months behind.’ ”
De Grasse may not be showing the speed he wants in races yet, but he’s continuing to build his reputation of being fast enough to get the job done. He’s one of the few runners in the world to have opened his season with a sub-10 second100 and he jogged his way across the finish line in a 200 time that was the second fastest this year.
The 21-year-old from Markham made news in December when he signed a historic $11.25-million (U.S.) contract with Puma, and he raised eyebrows when he switched coaches shortly after that.
He left Los Angeles to train in Phoenix with Canadian sprint coach Stuart McMillan at Altis. It’s unusual for a successful athlete to make a big move eight months ahead of the Olympics, but De Grasse says the move has been great for him.
“Last year, I was racing so much and now this year all I’m doing is training, training, training,” he said. “I trust (McMillan) and his workouts and I think, as time goes on, I’m going to get faster.”
De Grasse plans to run a few more local meets before he hits the international scene in May at the Jamaican International Invitational and the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.
He became the first Canadian since 2000 to run sub-10 seconds in the 100 last year and, practically overnight, he made the nation globally relevant in sprinting again.
And, as much as he loves the 100, he’s even better in the 200 and hopes to run both in Rio and, ideally, come away with multiple Olympic medals.
The key to making that happen, especially in the 100, is on the start line and that’s something he has struggled with.
“It’s still a work in progress, I’ve just got to be patient,” he said.
He is building his explosiveness in the weight room and, on the track, he’s focusing on developing a quick reaction out of the blocks and a strong first 30 metres.
“If that can come together by the time the Rio Olympics come down, I feel I have a great chance.”
De Grasse announced Tuesday he has joined a star-studded lineup in a new partnership with Gillette, but said his attitude toward sport and life hasn’t changed.
“It’s good that I’m financially there and I can support my family but, other than that, nothing has changed. I’m the same guy now that I was before,” he said. “I’ve got the same goals at the end of the day: Make myself proud and the people around me proud . . .
“It’s not just about the money for me, it’s more about the pride and the joy. I want to bring back that gold medal”
So, no fancy car or entourage following him around?
“Not yet,” he laughs. “Not ever, maybe.”