Disappointment for Smellie with false start while DeGrasse easily advances

Gavin Smellie’s Pan Am sprint campaign was over in 0.089 seconds although it took quite awhile longer to make it official.

Smellie was tagged with a false start in the heats of the men's 100 metres on Tuesday morning. After much discussion among race officials - the confusion was compounded by more than half the field in the heat running the race after not hearing the starter's gun go off twice - Smellie was informed of the disqualification. 

When the head of Canada’s athletics team, Peter Eriksson, reviewed the foot fault footage in the tech tent, he said it was quite clear that Smellie had false started. What Erikkson was miffed about though, was all the confusion surrounding Smellie’s exit.

“Only three sprinters heard the second false start gun at 40 metres. The rest kept running,” he said. “There should be an automatic gun for a false start, and we shouldn’t have to rely on a manual gun. The system didn’t function properly.”

Once the remaining runners knew Smellie was disqualified, the runners in his heat ran again. Smellie was the second sprinter to be disqualified in the 100 heats, as Roland Palacios of Honduras also broke early out of the blocks in the opening heat. The two disqualifications prompted Canadian hurdler Phylicia George to surmise that a boisterous crowd at the York University stadium made have played an unknowing role in the sprinters' exits.

Eriksson said it was hard to say whether or not the vocal crowd and occasional strong gusts of wind influenced the false start. He said he spoke to Smellie briefly in between the heats and told him to focus on his next event.

“He’s disappointed, obviously, but it’s important that he focuses on the (4x100) relay – we’re going to need to him,” he said. “He’s going to be a strong runner for us.”

New Canadian sprinting sensation Andre DeGrasse didn't allow the Palacios disqualification to distract him as he overcame a sluggish start to win his heat in 10.06 seconds.

NCAA titles in the 200 metres and 100 metres in June sparked much interest in DeGrasse's appearance at these Games. On Tuesday, 19 photographers and 12 camera crews sat 20 metres behind the finish line for the 20-year-old's race. Most, if not all, were there to catch a glimpse of the young man who's the first Canadian since Bruny Surin in 1999 to run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds. 

In front of a semi-packed stadium – the wings were jammed but the north and south ends were 30 per cent full – when De Grasse cruised through the finish line, the crowd applauded politely. It was in stark contrast to Liz Gleadle's gold medal in the javelin moments before DeGrasse's heat took place. Gleadle's final throw sealed her victory and the crowd went ballistic.

Three months ago no one knew who De Grasse was but thanks to dynamic performance at the NCAA championships in June, the expectations for him have exploded. The Markham, Ont., native has been sprinting for three years and in a bold – almost arrogant - statement following his NCAA wins he “wants to try to put Canada back on the map".

After De Grasse finished his race, the sprinter walked past a group of reporters in the mixed zone and straight to the athletes tent. Some may perceive that as arrogant, a kid with attitude. Others may see that as trying to stay focused. It was just a heat race. No big deal.

The 100 semifinals and final take place Wednesday.