Canada claims silver in men’s 4×100, USA snatches gold at world championships

Though unable to follow up on their massive Olympic success, the Canadian men’s relay team will still be leaving Japan with some hardware.

Canada claimed silver in the men’s 4×100-metre relay at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo on Sunday, with the U.S.A. taking home gold.

The fourtet of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse, who came away with gold at the Paris Olympics last summer, ran a 37.55 — a season-best — just short of the 37.29 put up by the star-studded American group.

The Netherlands finished third with a 37.81.

It was a tight race, with Brown, Blake and Rodney keeping pace with the Americans on the rain-soaked track due to their notably clean handoffs. But a perfect handoff from Courtney Lindsey to sprinting superstar Noah Lyles sealed the Canadians’ fate.

Lyles, the world champion in the 200m and a bronze medallist in the 100m, was clinical as the anchor, running an 8.84-second final leg to outpace De Grasse for the win.

This American group consisted of Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Lindsey and Lyles, a stark difference to the group they fielded at the Paris Olympics, which featured Kyree King and Fred Kerley.

Lyles was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was substituted ahead of the event, ultimately squandering the team’s chances as they finished last after a disqualification.

It’s a return to the podium for the Canadian team at worlds after not making the final in 2023. The group won gold at the 2022 world championships.

But it’s a familiar feeling in a familiar place for this Canadian group, as they finished second to Italy at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Just minutes before, Canada’s women’s 4×100 relay squad finished seventh. Sade McCreath, Jacqueline Madogo, Marie-Eloise Leclair and Audrey Leduc finished with a time of 42.82 seconds.

The U.S. (41.75), Jamaica (41.79) and Germany (41.87) finished on the podium.

The men’s podium finish allowed Canada to close the world championships with five medals (three gold, one silver, one bronze). Canada placed third on the medal table thanks to the three golds, with the U.S. leading the way with 16 and Kenya having won seven.

— With files from the Canadian Press