De Grasse, Warner look to defend Olympic titles as Athletics Canada unveils Paris squad

Andre De Grasse and Damian Warner are set to defend their Olympic titles at this summer’s Paris Games as part of Canada’s athletics team.

The team was announced Tuesday by Athletics Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

De Grasse will look to build on his six Olympic medals, including his gold in the men’s 200 metres at the Tokyo Games.

The sprinter from Markham, Ont., has also qualified in the men’s 100 metres and 4×100 metre relay.

“I’ll just use my experience to my advantage. I know what to expect. I know what I have to do,” De Grasse said in a release. “Every Olympic Games are different, but from my first one, then a pandemic in my second one, I’m just going to go out there, remain focused, and remember all the things that got me there.”

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Andre De Grasse & Audrey Leduc were crowned fastest man and woman in Canada at the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic trials last week, but what do their wins mean as Paris 2024 comes into focus? We talk to certified track nerd Morgan Campbell about the results and the breadth of the Canadian athletics team.

Warner, the Tokyo gold medallist from London, Ont., forms a formidable one-two punch with world champion Pierce LePage of Whitby, Ont., in the decathlon.

“We have such a strong team,” Warner said. “To me, one of the coolest things is that we have athletes in so many different sports. The team is awesome. It’s so well-rounded and I’m excited to get out there and represent alongside them.”

Other athletes with podium chances include world champion hammer throwers Camryn Rogers of Richmond, B.C., and Ethan Katzberg of Nanaimo, B.C., Tokyo 5,000-metre silver medallist Mo Ahmed of St. Catharines, Ont., 800-metre world champion Marco Arop of Edmonton and shot-putter Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, N.S., who won gold at the 2024 indoor world championships.

Athletes set to make their Olympic debuts include sprinters Audrey Leduc of Gatineau, Que., and Christopher Morales Williams of Maple, Ont., who set an unofficial record in the 400 metres earlier this year.

Leduc has had an outstanding 2024 season, setting Canadian records in both the women’s 100 metres and 200 metres, as well as being part of the women’s 4×100 metre relay team that qualified Canada for the Paris Games.

“I did not see this coming. I was hoping to qualify for the relay and the 100 metres via the World Ranking, but I didn’t expect the 200 metres too,” Leduc said. “I’ve done the Quebec Games and the Canada Games, and the Olympic Games is just the big thing, every four years. I’m just excited to get there, represent Canada as best I can, and run fast.”

Track and field will take place Aug. 2-10. The men’s 20-kilometre race walk will take place Aug. 1 and the marathon race walk mixed relay will take place on Aug. 7. The men’s marathon is scheduled for Aug. 10 and the women’s marathon on Aug. 11.