Andre De Grasse withdraws from Canadian track championships due to injury, while Audrey Leduc claims gold in women’s 100m in Ottawa
De Grasse Withdraws from Canadian Championship
Ottawa, August 1, 2025 – Canadian sprinting icon Andre De Grasse announced his withdrawal from this weekend’s Canadian Track and Field Championships in Ottawa, citing tightness in his hamstring. The decision, made public on Friday, came as a precautionary measure to avoid aggravating the minor injury ahead of next month’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
De Grasse, a seven-time Olympic medallist and 2024 Paris Games 4x100m relay gold winner, addressed the media saying, “I picked up a little tightness a couple of weeks ago… I’m going to play it safe and not do any extra damage.” Despite sitting out the competition, De Grasse made an appearance at the venue, engaging with fans through autograph signings and meet-and-greets.
Recovery Aimed at World Championship Readiness
The 30-year-old sprinter, who also won Olympic gold in the 200m at Tokyo 2021, emphasized that his current condition is manageable. With six weeks remaining until the World Championships (Sept. 13–21), De Grasse stated he is undergoing treatment from team doctors and remains optimistic about competing in Tokyo.
“It’s just a little tightness. I’ve been getting a lot of treatment… I should be good when it matters,” he affirmed
Leduc Claims Women’s 100m National Title
While De Grasse was absent from the track, Friday night delivered electrifying performances, particularly from Gatineau’s Audrey Leduc. The 26-year-old sprinter stormed to victory in the women’s 100m final with a time of 11.06 seconds.
Leduc, Canada’s national record holder in both the 100m (10.95) and 200m (22.36), edged out Olympian Sade McCreath (11.09) of Ajax, Ont., and Jacqueline Madogo (11.21) of Ottawa, the 2023 national 200m champion.
Asemota Edges Brown in Men’s 100m Final
In a tightly contested men’s 100m final, Montreal’s Duan Asemota clinched the title with a 10.12-second sprint. He narrowly beat Toronto’s Aaron Brown, who finished at 10.13 seconds. Brown, a member of Canada’s gold-winning relay team in Paris, was followed closely by Ottawa’s Eliezer Adjibi, who clocked in at 10.21 seconds.
The event brought together Canada’s top sprinters in a championship that not only crowned national champions but also served as a key preparation milestone ahead of the global stage in Tokyo.
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