Andre De Grasse Falls Short in 200m Semifinal
Andre De Grasse, the defending 200m Olympic champion, failed to qualify for the 200m final at the Paris Games on Wednesday. He came third in his semifinal heat.
De Grasse's semifinal loss follows his failure to qualify for the 100m final.
The Canadian flag bearer attributed his disappointing performances to an injury he reaggravated in July.
De Grasse told CBC's Devin Heroux that he thought he was healthy coming into the Games, but he picked up the injury again in the 100 meters.
The pain was too much, so he didn't push, knowing it would be tough to make the finals after that.
The 200m final is set for 8:30 p.m. Paris time on Thursday.
De Grasse will compete in the 4x100m relay, which starts on Thursday morning.
He said his injury should not affect his relay team, as it doesn't hurt as much on the straights.
Noah Lyles, the reigning world champion in the 200m, qualified third with a time of 20.08 seconds.
Lyles joins fellow Americans Kenneth Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton in the final.
De Grasse's injury has affected his performance in the Paris Games, marking the first Olympic events he has competed in without medaling.
The Canadian Olympic Committee revoked the credentials of De Grasse's coach, Rana Reider, citing new information about the appropriateness of Mr. Reider remaining accredited.
De Grasse's fans will be watching his performance in the 4x100m relay, hoping he can bounce back from his injuries.
The Paris Games have been a challenging experience for De Grasse, but he remains focused on his upcoming events.
De Grasse's experience and skill will be essential in the 4x100m relay, where he will compete alongside his teammates.
The 4x100m relay heats start on Thursday morning, and De Grasse is expected to play a key role in the event.