“De Grasse Opens 2026 with 19.84; White Controls Women’s 200m in Botswana”
Gaborone, Botswana: The 2026 outdoor season began with authority for Andre De Grasse, who produced a sharp 19.84s in the men’s 200m at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour. The run marked his quickest half-lap performance since 2023 and signalled strong early-season form.
De Grasse’s victory led a Canadian 1–2, with Aaron Brown finishing second in 20.07s, while the USA’s Kyree King took third in 20.24s. Earlier in the evening, De Grasse had already impressed with a 9.95s runner-up finish in the 100m.
Speaking after the race, De Grasse reflected on the start to his campaign: “Nice way to open up the season running some strong times,” he said, hinting that attention will now turn to upcoming relay commitments.
White Sets the Standard in Women’s 200m
In the women’s 200m, Kayla White delivered a composed performance to win in 22.68s. She controlled the race off the bend and extended her lead down the straight to finish well ahead of Kenondra Davis (23.22s) and Leah Bertrand (23.39s).
White’s time underlined her readiness for the season ahead as the Continental Tour builds momentum across its Gold-level meetings.
Other Notable Performances
The men’s 100m produced one of the night’s quickest races, with Canada’s Jerome Blake clocking a personal best 9.93s to edge De Grasse’s 9.95s.
In the women’s 100m, Gabby Thomas dipped under 11 seconds with 10.95s before opting out of the 200m later due to fatigue.
Men’s 200m – Top Three
Andre De Grasse (CAN) – 19.84s
Aaron Brown (CAN) – 20.07s
Kyree King (USA) – 20.24s
Women’s 200m – Top Three
Kayla White (USA) – 22.68s
Kenondra Davis (USA) – 23.22s
Leah Bertrand (TTO) – 23.39s
With fast times across both sprints, the Botswana meet offered an early indicator of form as elite sprinters begin their 2026 campaigns on the Continental circuit.
