3-time Olympic medallist De Grasse 2nd in Doha Diamond League 200 metres
Fellow Canadian runner Aaron Brown placed third in 20.25
Canada's Andre De Grasse is rounding into form just a couple of months from the Tokyo Olympics.
The three-time Olympic medallist from Markham, Ont., was second in the 200 metres in 19.89 seconds at the Doha Diamond League meet on Friday, just shy of his Canadian record of 19.80 he ran in winning silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
It was the 26-year-old's fastest 200 since his 19.87 in Belgium in 2019.
American Kenny Bednarek won in 19.88 on Friday in Qatar while Toronto native Aaron Brown was third in 20.25.
WATCH | De Grasse grabs 2nd in photo finish at Doha Diamond League meet:
Canada's Olympic high jump champion Derek Drouin tied for fifth in his first Diamond League appearance since June 15, 2017 at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway.
Drouin matches Toronto performance
Drouin, who's been sidelined with both serious spine and Achilles tendon injuries since his victory at the 2016 Rio Olympics, cleared 2.24 metres before missing all three attempts at 2.27.
The automatic Olympic standard in the event is 2.33.
The 31-year-old Drouin opened Friday's competition at Qatar Sports Club clearing 2.15 & 2.20 on his 1st attempt, one week after taking 12 jumps at the Toronto Track & Field Centre with a best of 2.24.
Drouin's 2.40 personal best was achieved April 25, 2014 & remains the record.
Pole vaulter & Canadian indoor/outdoor record holder Alysha Newman of London, Ont., no-heighted in Doha, missing all three attempts at 4.35 metres.
Newman's pole vault struggles continue
On May 2, the 2016 Olympian also missed three attempts at 4.30 at the Chula Vista high-performance outdoor meet near San Diego, Calif.
Friday marked Newman's first high-level outdoor competition since the world championship final on Sept. 29, 2019 in Doha, where she cleared 4.80 to place fifth.
The world's third-ranked women's pole vaulter didn't compete outdoors in 2020 after making a last-minute decision last August to not travel to Europe and compete in a Diamond League exhibition street event in Lausanne, Switzerland, stating it wasn't worth risking her health and safety during a global pandemic heading into an Olympic year.
Newman had a season best of 4.65 this past indoor season.
With files from CBC Sports
