Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse has turned pro and signed a multiyear deal with Puma for approximately $11.25M (all figures U.S.), the "most lucrative initial contract ever in the sport," according to Lori Ewing of the CP. The 21-year-old, who won the Bronze Medal at this year's World Championships in the 100 meters, could earn up to $30M "with bonuses." The contract "comes with guarantees" in excess of $4M. De Grasse was about to enter his senior season at USC, where he is prohibited from accepting sponsorships. However, he said he decided to turn pro when he "found out how much I could make." De Grasse said, "Before I really didn’t know the numbers, and thought maybe it was worth staying at USC and competing [in the] NCAA. But now that I realized how much I could make, and I’ve already accomplished so much in the NCAA, I felt like it was really time to go.” Ewing noted De Grasse "joins a star-studded group of Puma sprinters that includes Jamaican stars Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell." With Bolt "winding down his career," it is possible that Puma "has found the ideal replacement" (CP, 12/5).
