Canadian athletes showed their strength in Beijing as Sarah Mitton topped the shot put field and Andre De Grasse made a confident return to the track. Both athletes are preparing for the upcoming World Athletics Championships, and their recent performances brought excitement and hope for Canadian fans.
Sarah Mitton, a 29-year-old from Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, proved her determination by winning the women’s shot put event with a throw of 19.81 metres. She defeated Sweden’s Fanny Roos, who managed 19.35 metres, and China’s Zhang Linru, who threw 19.05 metres.
This victory was especially sweet for Mitton because just two weeks earlier, she faced heartbreak at the Diamond League Final in Zürich. There, she thought she had won with a massive throw of 20.67 metres. However, judges later ruled her attempt invalid because she stepped out of the circle before the shot landed and may have touched the toe board. With that ruling, her best legal throw became 19.99 metres, dropping her to third place. Along with the disappointment, she lost the Diamond League Trophy and about $23,000 in prize money.
Instead of feeling defeated, Mitton turned the experience into motivation. She said the outcome gave her extra fire to prove she is one of the world’s best throwers.
Mitton will soon compete in her fourth World Athletics Championships. She has come a long way since her debut in 2019, when she threw 17.24 metres and failed to qualify for the finals.
In 2022, she showed great improvement, finishing fourth in Eugene, Oregon, with a throw of 19.77 metres. Two years ago, in Budapest, she reached new heights, throwing 20.08 metres to win a silver medal.
Now, after her win in Beijing, Mitton is aiming to prove herself once again and hopefully stand on the podium at this year’s world championships.
On the track, Canadian sprint star Andre De Grasse returned to racing after nearly three months away due to hamstring tightness. Competing in the 100 metres, he finished third with a time of 10.16 seconds, only 0.01 seconds slower than his season best.
De Grasse showed good form, starting quickly and closing strong in the final 30 metres. His performance was encouraging as he prepares for his fifth World Championships.
The 30-year-old has a rich history in Beijing. Back in 2015, at the same stadium, he won a bronze medal with a time of 9.92 seconds in his world championships debut. Now, ten years later, he hopes to repeat that success.
This was only De Grasse’s fourth 100-metre race of the season. He opened his year in Florida with a wind-aided 10.05 seconds, followed by a 10.23 in Finland. He then ran 10.16 in Philadelphia before taking time off to rest his hamstring.
Even though he skipped defending his Canadian title in Ottawa on August 1 to avoid further injury, his strong return in Beijing showed he is on track for a solid performance at the world championships.
The race in Beijing was won by Ali Al Balushi of Oman, who set a personal best of 10.09 seconds. American Brandon Hicklin was second at 10.12. The meet record of 9.87 seconds, set by Justin Gatlin in 2014, still stands.
Canada is sending its largest and strongest team yet to the World Athletics Championships, which run from September 13 to 21. For the first time in history, the country will have four defending champions competing:
Ethan Katzberg (Hammer throw)
Camryn Rogers (Hammer throw)
Marco Arop (800 metres)
Pierce LePage (Decathlon)
The team of 59 athletes also includes the Olympic champion 4x100 metre relay squad featuring Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney, Jerome Blake, and Andre De Grasse.
Another big name is Damian Warner, a 2021 Olympic decathlon champion and 2023 world silver medallist. Long-distance runner Moh Ahmed, an Olympic silver medallist in the 5,000 metres, is also part of the squad.
With Sarah Mitton back in top form and Andre De Grasse showing positive signs of recovery, Canadian fans have a lot to look forward to at the upcoming world championships. Both athletes carry determination, experience, and the hunger to prove themselves on the global stage.
The Beijing performances were more than just results — they were statements. Mitton showed she has the strength to bounce back after setbacks, while De Grasse proved that patience and preparation pay off.
As the world championships draw closer, all eyes will be on these Canadian stars to see if they can turn their strong form into medals on the biggest stage in athletics.
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