Aaron Brown wanted to beat Andre De Grasse at his best.
And in a thrilling 100-metre final, that took officials peering at a photo finish a full five minutes to decide, he did.
Brown captured his second consecutive 100 title at the Canadian track and field championships on Friday, running 10.021 seconds edge De Grasse by three-thousandth of a second.
Crystal Emmanuel won the womenB次元官网网址檚 event in 11.17 seconds.
Brown beat De Grasse last year as well, a day before De Grasse suffered a second hamstring injury that ended his season.
B次元官网网址淚 knew from last year when I won, when (De Grasse) came back to form, I knew if I didnB次元官网网址檛 win this year that (win) would get nullified. So to speak within the media because they would say B次元官网网址極h he was hurt. Your win last year was only because he was hurt,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Brown said.
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Brown was quicker out of the blocks, but De Grasse, a triple Olympic medallist, closed hard over the final 20 metres, bringing a Claude Robillard Stadium crowd B次元官网网址� it included Montreal Canadiens forward Max Domi and retired MMA fighter Georges St-Pierre B次元官网网址� to its feet.
Then the wait was on to determine the winner. The runners didnB次元官网网址檛 take their eyes off the scoreboard until BrownB次元官网网址檚 name flashed at the top. The 27-year-old from Toronto erupted in screams, running down the track pumping his fists.
B次元官网网址淣ever (waited that long),B次元官网网址� Brown laughed. B次元官网网址漁h my god. That was crazy. I guess that just comes with it, a heavy dose of drama at the end of a 100 metres.B次元官网网址�
The close finish was the punctuation mark on a thrilling night of racing. Both sprinters dipped under the 10-second barrier in the 100-metre semifinals, setting up the sizzling final.
De Grasse, wearing custom-made white Pumas with blue Sonic the Hedgehog on the toes, cruised to a time of 9.98 to win a heat that was plagued by three false starts.
Brown, with a Nike swoosh shaved in his hair, then did him one better, tying his personal best of 9.96 two heats later.
B次元官网网址淚 saw in the first heat he ran .98 and I knew I had to respond,B次元官网网址� Brown said. B次元官网网址滻 could see it, the narrative shifting, B次元官网网址極h heB次元官网网址檚 back, Andre this and that,B次元官网网址� and I would get lost in the fold. So I said B次元官网网址楴o, not this year.B次元官网网址� I said B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檝e got to drop (a sub 10-second time) too.B次元官网网址� If thatB次元官网网址檚 what heB次元官网网址檚 setting the bar at, I have to respond.B次元官网网址�
They couldnB次元官网网址檛 replicate the fast times two hours later. Temperatures had dropped, and the wind B次元官网网址� both sprinters benefited from tailwind in the semis B次元官网网址� had died.
Brown and De Grasse are friends off the track. But theyB次元官网网址檝e built a fierce rivalry on it. And FridayB次元官网网址檚 race perhaps provided a preview of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 1-2 punch at the world championships in October in Doha.
B次元官网网址淚 want to prove IB次元官网网址檓 a contender on the world stage, I know he is, heB次元官网网址檚 already proved it with his medals. I know IB次元官网网址檓 capable of it, so thatB次元官网网址檚 my next aim,B次元官网网址� Brown said.
De Grasse, a 24-year-old from Markham, Ont., was hoping to regain his Canadian title after two hamstring injuries shelved the better part of the past two seasons. De Grasse owned the Canadian 100 title between 2015 and B次元官网网址�17.
Disappointed by FridayB次元官网网址檚 result?
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not at all, IB次元官网网址檓 just happy to be back,B次元官网网址� said De Grasse, whose time in the semis was his fastest since Rio. B次元官网网址滷ighting injuries for the past two years, IB次元官网网址檓 just happy to be back here on the track, getting back to where I was running before, getting close to my personal best, I feel like IB次元官网网址檓 in good shape, I feel like IB次元官网网址檓 ready for the rest of the season.B次元官网网址�
De Grasse had never waited so long for a result either.
B次元官网网址淭hat was crazy to wait that long,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址滻tB次元官网网址檚 weird, you wait that long and you donB次元官网网址檛 even know really know who won. How do you wait that long to come out with a result? But itB次元官网网址檚 OK, IB次元官网网址檒l take my lessons and get better.B次元官网网址�
Brown will look to repeat as the Canadian 200 champion, while De Grasse is only racing the 100 metres in Montreal.
Earlier in the night, Cristabel Nettey won the womenB次元官网网址檚 long jump with a mark of 6.41 metres, while Brittany Crew won the womenB次元官网网址檚 shot put with a throw of 18.65 metres.
Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press
