Andre De Grasse begins his outdoor season with victory in the 200 meters

(Jacksonville) Ontario’s Andre De Grasse began his outdoor season with a victory in the 200 meters at the East Coast Relays on Friday.

De Grasse, of Markham, clocked 20.11 seconds in the first heat, finishing with the fastest time of all competitors in all 15 waves.

The 29-year-old Canadian had competed in two 60m indoor events this year.

His first outdoor event of 2024 came on the heels of an explosive end to his equally grueling 2023 season.

After finishing sixth in the 200 meters at the World Championships, De Grasse took his first career Diamond League win in September, clocking 19.76 seconds.

It was the fourth fastest time of the career of De Grasse, the 200m champion at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.