Six-time Olympic medalist Andre de Grasse is set to open his season on January 27 next year at the World Athletics Indoor Tour’s first meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. De Grasse has not competed in an event since the Diamond League Finals, Prefontaine Classic, in September, where he took home the gold medal in the 200-meter event and set a season-best time of 19.76 seconds.
De Grasse announced his participation in the event in a short video that was posted in the stories of Astana Meet’s official Instagram account, saying, “I can’t wait. I’m excited to come out there for the first time…It’s going to be a great show. See you soon.”
Andre De Grasse is making his return to the 60m!
He’ll be lining up at the Astana Indoor Meet for Amin Tuyakov Prizes on January 27th 🔥
🎥 astanameet pic.twitter.com/vzwvUC4FEg
— Owen (@_OwenM_) December 13, 2023
The Canadian sprinter is scheduled to compete in the 60-meter race, which he has not done in a while.
De Grasse’s 60-meter history
While de Grasse is best known for his outstanding efforts in the 100-, 200-, and 4×100-meter relay, his career is also jotted with a couple of 60-meter races.
In 2015, De Grasse entered a number of competitions in the 60-meter event at Lincoln, Seattle, and Lexington. In that year, he was able to set his personal best of 6.60 seconds at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln.
The following year, the Markham-raised sprinter made his pro debut at the Millrose Games in New York and competed in the 60-meter dash event. He came close to his PB record and clocked a time of 6.61 seconds, bagging home the gold medal for the event.
In 2021, however, De Grasse failed to advance in the finals of the 2019 world track and field championships as he lagged behind Oduduru, McLeod, and Kemp in the preliminary heat and recorded a dismal time of 6.79 seconds.
De Grasse in 100-meter and 200-meter
Aside from his 60-meter feats, De Grasse also carved his name into the disciplines of 100- and 200-meters as he won several accolades throughout his career, most notably his six medals in the Olympic Games.
In the Rio Olympics in 2016, De Grasse racked up two bronze medals in the 100-meter and 4×100-meter relay and a silver in the 200-m event.
Five years later, in the Tokyo Olympics, De Grasse raised the Canadian flag when he won the gold in the 200-meter and snagged a bronze in the 100-meter and a silver in the 4×100-meter relay.
The Astana Indoor Meet will mark the start of De Grasse’s build toward the Paris Olympics in July 2024.
Cover Photo: IG
