Olympic champions named on Canada's team for Guangzhou

Olympic gold medallists Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney are among the 26 athletes selected for Canada's team for the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on 10-11 May.

Canada will compete in five events in Guangzhou: the women’s 4x100m, men’s 4x100m and mixed 4x100m as well as the women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m.

The men’s 4x100m quartet of Brown, Blake, Rodney and De Grasse finished second at the last edition of the World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas and went on to get gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.

The women’s 4x400m team of Zoe Sherar, Aiyanna Stiverne, Alyssa Marsh and Kyra Constantine also made the podium in The Bahamas to secure a place in Paris. Sherar, Marsh and Constantine all form part of the squad for Guangzhou.

Audrey Leduc helped the women’s 4x100m squad to qualify for Paris during the last World Relays and will be hoping to secure similar success ahead of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in September.

“What is different going into my second World Relays is the experience I have gained in the past year,” said Leduc. “The Olympic Games gave me more experience on the international scene and helped me learn how to better face the best in the world. I will arrive at the World Relays with so much more confidence.

“In order to qualify the team for the World Championships, we have to trust each other and execute when we're on the track,” she added. “The beauty of the relay is that anything can happen, so the important thing is that each member of the team gives 100% and performs as best they can.

“I would say that the secret ingredient is the chemistry within the team. You can see it with the men's team, they have been working together for a long time and they have such a good relationship. The proof is that they won gold at the Paris Games. I think that's what can make a difference at the World Relays – having confidence in your teammates at the most important moments.”

Canadian team for Guangzhou

Women
4x100m: Gabrielle Cole, Marie-Éloïse Leclair, Audrey Leduc, Catherine Leger, Jacqueline Madogo, Sade McCreath, Donna Ntambue
4x400m: Kyra Constantine, Lauren Gale, Alyssa Marsh, Jasneet Nijjar, Micha Powell, Madeline Price, Dianna Proctor, Zoe Sherar

Men
4x100m: Eliezer Adjibi, Duan Asemota, Jerome Blake, Aaron Brown, Andre De Grasse, Malachi Murray, Brendon Rodney, Norris Spike

Mixed
4x100m: Eliezer Adjibi, Duan Asemota, Jerome Blake, Aaron Brown, Gabrielle Cole, Andre De Grasse, Marie-Éloïse Leclair, Audrey Leduc, Catherine Leger, Jacqueline Madogo, Sade McCreath, Malachi Murray, Donna Ntambue, Brendon Rodney, Norris Spike
4x400m: Austin Cole, Kyra Constantine, Lauren Gale, Nathan George, Alyssa Marsh, Christopher Morales Williams, Jasneet Nijjar, Micha Powell, Madeline Price, Dianna Proctor, Zoe Sherar