The Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo was expected to be another showcase of Andre De Grasse’s veteran dominance, but instead, it delivered a twist no one saw coming. The Canadian sprint icon had earlier lit up the track at the Florida Relays, anchoring Canada’s gold-medal-winning 4x100m relay team past a stacked American lineup. His classic comeback speed in the anchor leg had fans on their feet, a thrilling reminder that De Grasse, with seven Olympic medals to his name, still had plenty of fire left in the tank.
But when De Grasse returned to the track at Seiko, the winds of momentum had shifted. The same rising American star he hunted down in Gainesville. 24-year-old Robert Gregory was back, this time to reciprocate. In a stunning reversal, Gregory seized the moment and the victory, flipping the script on his legendary rival and handing De Grasse a brutal defeat in the 200m.
A tweet by Track & Field Gazette highlighted, “In a tough battle with Andre De Grasse, Robert Gregory came through to win the men’s 200m at the Tokyo Golden Grand Prix.” And that one-liner summed up the seismic shift fans just witnessed on the track. Robert Gregory, the 2023 SEC Outdoor Champion in the 200m, clocked 20.24 seconds into a -2.0 m/s headwind to claim the crown in Tokyo. It wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. With poise and power, the Florida track and field star edged out the seasoned Canadian icon, who crossed the line in 20.29 seconds to settle for second. Japan’s Shota Iizuka followed in third with a 20.67s finish.
In a tough battle with Andre de Grasse, Robert Gregory came through to win the men’s 200m at the Tokyo Golden Grand Prix in a time of 20.24s (-2.0)!
The Canadian settled for 2nd in 20.29s, while 3rd place went to Shota Iizuka in 20.67s. pic.twitter.com/bi6saJNMOD
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) May 18, 2025
For De Grasse, who is a national legend who changed the sprinting landscape of Canada, this was more than a loss. It was a reminder that time waits for no one.
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