Preparing for Tokyo, De Grasse revels in return to Beijing

Ten years on since his last visit to Beijing, seven-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse was left marveling at how familiar everything still looks.

The Canadian sprinter returned to the city for the first time last week since the 2015 World Athletics Championships, and still feels connected to the Chinese capital where he won the first of his five medals at the marquee track and field event, kicking off a glittering career.

"I got here, I looked across the street from my room and there is the Bird's Nest. It just brought back a lot of good memories," De Grasse said on Saturday before competing at the Beijing leg of the Continental Tour Gold series.

"My manager asked me if I wanted to come here this year. I said yes. I wanted to come back to Beijing because I haven't been back here in 10 years ... I love traveling the world and competing in front of my fans, especially here in China."

Since clocking 9.92 seconds to finish third, trailing only the invincible Usain Bolt and American great Justin Gatlin in a blistering 100m final at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) in 2015, De Grasse has gone on to become one of the sport's most celebrated and all-around sprinters, collecting two gold, two silver and three bronze medals across 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at three Olympic Games over the past decade.

And his return didn't disappoint, at least for his vocal supporters at Beijing's National Olympic Sports Center Stadium on Sunday.

Signing up for the continental meet as a tune-up for the 2025 world championships, which open in Tokyo on Saturday, the 30-year-old looked healthy and fresh on the track, as he clocked 10.16 to place third in his first race after nearly a three-month injury layoff.

The 1.76-meter tall sprinter was quick out of the starting blocks and gained on eventual winner Ali Al-Balushi (10.09) of Oman and runner-up Brandon Hicklin (10.12) of the United States over the final 30 meters to finish third on a warm and clear evening in Beijing.

His 10.16 mark was only one hundredth of a second off his season best from the Grand Slam Track meet on June 1 in Philadelphia, and, for a veteran who just returned from a hamstring injury, it served up an encouraging dress rehearsal for the worlds.

"I'm going to keep going as long as my body is good. I'm healthy and I'm still young ... I just want to go out there and represent my country and have fun," De Grasse said of his Tokyo targets.

"We have a good shot in the 4x100 relay, so I want to help my teammates there, and then just do well in the individual and try to make another final," said De Grasse, who won his only individual Olympic gold in 200m (19.73) at Tokyo 2020.

Joining De Grasse in Beijing for what proved to be a promising warm-up for Tokyo was his compatriot shot put star Sarah Mitton, who will head to her fourth worlds on a winning note after dominating the Sunday final with a 19.81m throw.

After winning her second straight title in China this year, following her indoor worlds victory in Nanjing in March, Mitton said she was expecting to carry her luck and momentum in China with her to the Japanese capital.

"Next goal is Tokyo, and I am looking forward to having a couple of weeks to freshen up a little bit on this side of the world and hoping to come home with a gold medal from there," said Mitton, whose best result at the worlds was a silver finish (20.08m) at Budapest 2023.

"The field is getting a lot stronger, and a lot of girls are approaching the 21-meter mark," she added.

"With the year coming to an end, and the floor getting very open, I will try to use this momentum and carry it to Tokyo."

Leaving Tokyo with or without a medal around their necks, both Mitton and De Grasse have set their sights on a Beijing encore in 2027.

"I'm definitely looking forward to being back here again in two years, or even if they have another Continental Gold meet," De Grasse said, with Mitton alongside him nodding her agreement, during a Saturday news conference. "I love coming here. It's a great city with great fans."

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn