De Grasse, Leduc power Canadian 4x100m relay teams to spots at world championships | CBC Sports

The Canadian men’s and women’s 4×100-metre relay teams qualified for the 2025 World Athletics Championships with performances on Saturday at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China.

The men’s team of Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney, and Jerome Blake finished second in their heat to qualify for Sunday’s final, but more importantly for them, clinch a spot at the world championships in Tokyo.

“We handled business,” Brown said after the race. “The first order of business, like [head coach] Glenroy [Gilbert] said, was to qualify for Tokyo. So we checked that box off.”

That automatic qualification was in doubt for the reigning Olympic champions until De Grasse lifted his team in the anchor leg. The Markham, Ont., native held off Australia and the Netherlands to cross the line in 38.15 seconds and secure second place behind Japan (37.84).

“We ran a bit shaky, everyone kind of felt a little bit flat,” Brown said after the race. “But it’s the first round, and if Paris tells us anything, we make magic in the finals.

“We adjust, we watch the tapes and see what we did wrong, and clean up for the finals and get ready to put on a show.”

The Canadian women’s 4x100m race unfolded much like the men’s. Thanks to a blazing-fast anchor leg, Sade McCreath, Marie-Éloise Leclair, Catherine Léger, and Audrey Leduc secured their spot in Tokyo.

WATCH | Canadian women’s 4x100m team clinches spot at worlds: 

Canadian women’s 4x100m team clinches spot at world championships

Canada’s women’s 4x100m team, featuring Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair, Catherine Leger and Audrey Leduc finish second in their heat to move to the finals at the 2025 World Athletic Relays, and world championships.

Canada was in fourth place when Leduc took the baton but she powered past the Italian and Dutch runners to secure a second-place finish (43.11) and clinch automatic qualification for the world championships and Sunday’s final.

“It’s a relief,” Leduc said about qualifying for Tokyo. “It’s very exciting to get there on the first try, to do it in the heats and go to the final without having to do the other [repechage] round.”

Women’s 4x400m advance

The Canadian women’s 4x400m team also booked a spot a worlds. Jasneet Nijjar, Zoe Sherar, Lauren Gale, and Madeline Price finished fourth in their heat, but their time (3:37.28) was fast enough to qualify for Sunday’s final and the world championships.

WATCH | Canadian women’s 4x400m relay team qualifies for Tokyo: 

Canadian women’s 4x400m team clinches spot at world championships

Canada’s women’s 4x400m team, featuring Jasneet Nijjar, Zoe Sherar, Lauren Gale and Madeline Price qualify for the semi finals on time in their heat to move to the finals, and world championships.

In the debut of the mixed 4x100m event, the Canadian team advanced to the final by posting the top time across all of Saturday’s heats.

Gabrielle Cole, Jacqueline Madogo, Duan Asemota and Eliezer Adjibi combined to finish in 40.90 to book their spot in the final. 

The mixed 4x100m is not being contested at this year’s world championships, so no qualification was on line, but Asemota said the team is still looking to impress at the World Relays.

“Now that we got our feet wet, we’re ready to go into the finals and let it all loose, and make Canada proud,” he said.

WATCH | Canada’s mixed 4x100m relay team qualifies for the World Relays finals:

Canada’s mixed relay team qualifies for the World Relays finals

Canada’s mixed 4x100m team of Gabrielle Cole, Jacquelline Madogo, Duan Asemoto and Eliezer Adjibi win their heat, set the fastest time and qualified for the finals Sunday in the 2025 World Athletics Relay Championships in Guangzhou China.

Not every Canadian team was able to clinch a place at worlds and will need a result in Sunday’s repechage heats.

The mixed 4x400m team of Austin Cole, Alyssa Marsh, Nathan George, and Dianna Proctor will also need to compete in a second-chance race after finishing last in their heat (3:22.37).

They’ll need finish top two in their heat on Sunday to earn a spot in Tokyo.

Coverage will stream live on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem beginning at 6:25 a.m. ET. 

Schedule of events

Sunday

• Mixed 4x100m final – 7:05 a.m. ET 
• Mixed 4x400m repechage – 7:13 a.m. ET
• Women’s 4x400m repechage – 7:34 a.m. ET
• Men’s 4x400m repechage – 7:56 a.m. ET
• Women’s 4x100m repechage – 8:16 a.m. ET
• Men’s 4x100m repechage – 8:32 a.m. ET
• Mixed 4x400m final – 9:03 a.m. ET
• Women’s 4x100m final – 9:16 a.m. ET
• Men’s 4x100m final – 9:26 a.m. ET
• Women’s 4x400m final – 9:36 a.m. ET
• Men’s 4x400m final – 9:49 a.m. ET

WATCH | Day 1 of the World Athletics Relays:

2025 World Athletics Relays Guangzhou: Day 1

Watch the world’s best relay teams gather in Guangzhou, China for Day 1 of the 2025 World Athletics Relays.

Canada’s World Athletics Relays roster

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