De Grasse wants to return to the top of the post-COVID world championships

Toronto — A month before the World Athletics Championships, just walking down the stairs at home in Jacksonville, Florida involved the fastest man in Canada.

Andre De Grasse has recently returned to full practice after interrupting the season when COVID-19’s second match was finally looking up.

He said he was suffering from symptoms such as shortness of breath. The timing was as frustrating as he was finding his figure after an injury to his leg early in the season.

“I was sleeping upstairs, so I had to climb the stairs and felt (out of breath),” DeGrasse said. “I feel that way for the first few days. Whether I’m training, running, or trying to get my lungs back, it certainly hurts a bit. I’m a little panicked.”

A 27-year-old woman from Markham, Ontario slowed down early in the season due to an injury that affected her right big toe and arch. Since the World Championships are early in the season (June 15-24, Eugene, Oregon), where he is at first, knowing he hasn’t recorded enough training to be 100%. I raced to measure. He finished 9th at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene in late May.

In less than three weeks, he broke a strong field and won the Oslo Diamond League with a season-high of 10.05. Then he caught COVID and was forced to withdraw from the Canadian Championships.

Douglas spent three days in bed and was isolated from his partner Nia Ali, who had her own US trial at the World Championships.

“I was pretty depressed,” he said. “And when I returned to the first week of training, I wasn’t feeling well. My lungs were hard to breathe. It took me a long time to get it back. I had a cough and fatigue.”

De Grasse plans to run 100, 200, and 4×100 meter relays, as it did at both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. He won medals in all six and became Canada’s most decorated male Summer Olympic athlete. He also competed in all three at the 2019 World Championships.

However, there are 3 rounds each in 100 and 200, so the schedule will be a tight 10 days. He will start on July 15th with the first round of 100.

“I’m trying to regain my strength for the 200,” he said in a telephone interview on Monday. “So now I want to do a double, but (200) is the game time decision.”

Last month, a US trial on the same Hayward Field track that hosted the world created some great time. Fred Kerley scored 100 in 9.77 seconds. In the final, all runners sank under the 10-second barrier.

Glenroy Gilbert, head coach of Athletics Canada, believes that Douglas’ ability to play at the highest stakes will help him in Eugene.

“Andre isn’t the kind of person who needs a lot,” Gilbert said. “He can compete. We know that, and as long as he’s confident in the work he’s done to get to Eugene-and he’s running fast on that (Hayward Field) track, it. It’s always important to remember — he’s good. “

Douglas feels ready, at least in the spirit of the major world championships, he said.

“I have the experience I can use for my own benefit, I’m used to these moments of pressure,” he said.

De Grasse and Ali will race together at the third World Championship. This is an amazing feat for Ali, the mother of three. The three-time World 100-meter hurdles champion from the United States has her son Titus, and she and Degras have a daughter Yuri and a son Kenzo born in May 2021.

“I’m definitely happy because she had a little trouble trying to get it back this year,” Douglas said. “I watched (US trial) on TV. It’s great to see her come back there.”

The couple welcomes Eugene with all three children and two mothers to take care of them.

Meanwhile, De Grasse said his practice was improving every day.

“I have 1% every day for 2 weeks, 1 day at a time … I’m regaining my energy, practice is going well.”