(Budapest) Canadian Andre De Grasse finished sixth in the 200 meters at the World Athletics Championships.

De Grasse, the reigning Olympic champion, clocked 20.14 seconds in the final on Friday. He finished away from the winner, American Noah Lyles, who stopped the clock at 19.52.

“I made the final despite this difficult season,” De Grasse said. To be honest, I shouldn’t have been there. I should not have participated in this final, just by how my season was going. »

Lyles had also won gold in the 100 meters earlier at worlds. He was joined on the podium by his compatriot Erriyon Knighton (19.75) and Batswana Letslie Tebogo (19.81).

It’s the first time in his career that De Grasse hasn’t made the podium at a major international competition — the Olympics and Worlds. He had not qualified for the 100 meters this season.

“Mentally, I know I’m 100%, so I have to keep working physically,” added the Canadian. I have to keep training, be consistent and healthy when it really matters. These are the things I need to work on for the next year. »

Earlier in the day, the Canadian team in the 4×100 meters relay, without De Grasse, did not qualify for the final. She will therefore not be able to defend her title acquired in 2022 in Oregon.

The situation is more encouraging on the decathlon side. Pierce LePage and Damian Warner are in the thick of the fight as they sit second and third respectively after five of 10 events.

The German Leo Neugebauer sits at the top of the ranking.

The last five events of the decathlon will take place on Saturday.