This is an excerpt from The Buzzer, which is CBC Sports' daily email newsletter. Stay up to speed on what's happening in sports by subscribing here. Coming into the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, Canada's biggest track star had never missed the podium in his seven career individual events at the world championships or Olympics.
The streak ended on Saturday when De Grasse, not in peak form after a tough bout with COVID-19 a few weeks ago, failed to advance past the semifinals of the men's 100 metres.
Late last night, De Grasse confirmed the decision he'd hinted at after his 100m elimination, announcing he won't compete in his best event, the 200m, which begins tonight.
American Noah Lyles is the defending world champion in the men's 200 after his win in Doha in 2019. But De Grasse's gold-medal victory at the Tokyo Olympics last summer makes him the championship belt holder, so to speak.