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Andre De Grasse Eyes More Medals With Improved Starts

Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse is eyeing more medals at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 by improving his starts.

The 26-year-old is already the most decorated Olympian in Canadian history, having made the podium six times in his career.

De Grasse won three medals at the recent Tokyo Games, including his first career gold in the 200 metres.

De Grasse told CBC Sports that improving his starts was a key focus ahead of the world championships in 2022 and the Paris Olympics two years later.

“I know I have good speed endurance but my main objective is to have a good start. If I have a good start, that would be the difference between me winning a gold medal or a bronze medal,” De Grasse said.

De Grasse also took bronze in the 100m and men’s 4x100m relay in Tokyo, an exact repeat of his achievement in the 2016 Olympics in Rio where he also won silver in the 200 metres.

De Grasse says he is already getting prepared for the Games in three years.

“I’m getting excited, I’m getting pumped already to perform there. I think I’ll be there, I’ll be still young, I’ll be 29 years old there so I feel like I got another shot at another Olympics and to contend for another gold medal,” he continued.

De Grasse also said one of the biggest revelations on his return to his homeland after the Games was fellow Canadians, who watched his races with family and friends, telling him how much his success resonated in the country.

“I couldn’t believe how much that gold medal meant to not just me but to them as well. It was just really fun, it was exciting and I hope to bring some more gold medals in the future,” he said.

/Stewart
Sports news editor