Andre De Grasse of Canada has chased gold on the world stage in the 200 meters since finishing second behind Usain Bolt at the 2016 Rio Games. On Wednesday in Tokyo, he finally won the 200 meters in a personal best time of 19.62, holding off a potential sweep by three members of Team USA. His time is also a national record for Canada.
Kenny Bednarek wins silver in a personal best time of 19.68, and world champion Noah Lyles took bronze, running 19.74.
De Grasse, coming off a bronze medal in the men’s 100 meters at these games, seemed poised to medal again after an impressive semifinal run of 19.73, breaking the Canadian national record in the third heat to set up a highly anticipated final.
Since 2016, De Grasse has won eight medals between the Olympics and world championships, but a first place finish had eluded the 26-year-old.
Bednarek had the slowest reaction time out of the blocks but one of the best starts over the first 100 meters. Coming off the turn, however, it appeared that Lyles hit the rocket boost to take the lead, but it may have been pushed too soon as both De Grasse and Bednarek closed in the final 50 meters.
This was Lyles’s first time on the Olympic stage after a fourth-place finish in the 200 meters at the 2016 Trials. He’s rebounded to show he is without a doubt one of the top sprinters in the world since then, most notably by winning the 200 at the 2019 Health & Injuries. He kicked off the 2020 season with a USATF Golden Games at Mt. SAC. Lyles ran 18.90 at the Inspiration Games, a virtual competition, but it was later revealed that a lane mixup left his run 15 meters short (Usain Bolt’s world record 19.19, set in 2009, still stands).
This season, Lyles won the win the U.S. Olympic Trials in 19.90 before running a then world-leading, season’s-best 19.74 seconds to win the U.S. Olympic Trials.
How to Master the 5k, The Fastest Shoes of the Men’s Olympic Marathon. He turned pro in January and has gone on to break Usain Bolt’s Under-20 record with a 19.84 at the U.S. Trials.
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Brian has spent more than a decade focused on creating compelling news, health, and fitness content—with a particular interest on enthusiast activities like running and cycling. He’s coordinated coverage of major events like the Paris Olympics, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Tour de France, with an eye toward both the professional race and the engaging stories readers love.
