Canadian sprinters secure 3 Olympic relay spots on memorable Saturday night in Nassau
Saturday night in Nassau, Bahamas, at the World Ath‐ letics Relays turned out to be a memorable night un‐ der the bright lights of Thomas A. Robinson Stadi‐ um for Canadian sprinters.
With everything to run for - Olympic berths on the line Canadian track stars met the moment, qualifying three dif‐ ferent teams for Paris 2024.
The first breakthrough moment of the night was de‐ livered by the Canadian women's 4x100m relay team.
Not since the 2016 Games had Canada qualified a team in this event, but that all changed on Saturday night.
Sade McCreath, MarieÉloïse Leclair, Audrey Leduc and Crystal Emmanuel deliv‐ ered a brilliant race, edging out China for second place and locking up an Olympic spot in a time of 42.98 - the top-two teams in each heat on Saturday night earned di‐ rect tickets to Paris.
WATCH l McCreath, Leclair, Leduc, Emmanuel punch 4x100-metre Olympic ticket:
Placing in the top-two also advanced teams into Sunday night's finals to compete for prize money and medals.
"I think my heart stopped for a minute and then I just realized, oh my God, we did it. We came together and made it happen," said McCre‐ ath.
It was a joyous scene at the finish line as the Canadi‐ an women raced to each oth‐ er to celebrate, jumping in the air and hugging each oth‐ er.
"It's just amazing. I don't have the words to describe it.
When I gave the stick to Crys‐ tal, I just yelled, 'Go girl'. It's just amazing," Leduc said.
WATCH l Crystal Em‐ manuel reacts to running the anchor leg of the wom‐ en's 4x100m relay:
Just a couple of weeks ago
Leduc broke the national 100m record. She delivered the fastest leg of the evening for the Canadians in a time of 10.18. Emmanuel then charged to the finish line to secure the Olympic spot.
"I've been a veteran for a very long time and I just wan‐ ted to help get these ladies to the Games," said Em‐ manuel, who was a member of the 2016 Olympic team.
"We're letting Canada know we have a women's 4x100m relay team going to the Olympics. Very emotion‐ al."
World champions re‐ unite
Shortly after the thrilling women's race, the Canadian men's 4x100m relay team took to the track in front of a boisterous and enthusiastic crowd. Throughout the night they waved Bahamian flags and roared loudly, support‐ ing the sprinters.
Canada's quartet of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Bren‐ don Rodney and Andre De Grasse had not raced togeth‐ er since winning world cham‐ pionship gold in 2022, but they were reunited for the World Relays and didn't miss a step.
Brown blasted out of the blocks with the fastest opener of the heat. Then Blake extended Canada's lead. Rodney cruised around the corner and then handed the baton to De Grasse who left the competition behind.
WATCH l Brown, Blake, Rodney, De Grasse qualify for Paris Olympics:
Canada dominated the heat, winning without doubt in a time of 38.11. As De Grasse crossed the finish line he waved his hands in the air before high-fiving organizers on the track.
"Super grateful. Third Olympics. Dream come true. Just to be here with these guys to do this all over again feels really good. And we're going for gold," De Grasse said.
De Grasse talks Canada's men's 4x100m re‐ lay team qualifying for Paris 2024:
They advance to Sunday night's final, which will likely come down to a showdown with the Americans who posted the fastest time of the evening at 37.49.
"They're going to be our biggest competitor. We al‐ ways have a rivalry and we look forward to doing it again like we did in Oregon," De Grasse said, referring to the world championship win in Eugene, Ore., over the Ameri‐ cans in 2022.
Then it was time for the women's 4x400m relay team to try and follow up their pre‐ vious two Canadian teams success and also earn an Olympic spot.
And they did not disap‐ point.
Zoe Sherar, Aiyanna Stiverne, Kyra Constatine and Alyssa Marsh put forward a complete team effort, surging to second place and securing a spot to the Paris 2024 Games in a time of 3:27.17.
"It's amazing. We have a really amazing team in the women's 4x400m right now and we came here to get the job done and we did that," Zehar said.
WATCH l Sherar, Stiverne, Constantine, Marsh secure place at Paris 2024:
Constantine was part of the Canadian team that fin‐ ished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, now preparing to head back to the Games.
"Another one. I'm excited. This moment is just super special. And this team is spe‐ cial. It's just fun. I love run‐ ning with them," she said.
There were five events being contested on Saturday evening. Canada failed to qualify for the Olympics in the mixed 4x400m relay and the men's 4x400m relay.
Both teams will get one fi‐ nal chance to qualify on Sun‐ day night in the repechage round. Canada will once again need a top-two finish in the heat to lock up an Olympic berth.
"Our 4x400 will be in Paris. I promise you," said Myles Misener-Daly, who ran the anchor leg for the Cana‐ dian men.
WATCH l Marco Arop, Myles Mister-Daley on their mentality after 4x400m heats: