“Playing Chess, Not Checkers”: Andre De Grasse’s Wife Nia Ali Gets Track and Field Community’s Respect for “Smart” Decision at US Olympic Trials

The eternal proverb slow and steady wins the race does not apply to the Olympic track and field trials. Every track event demands speed, and when it comes to the US Olympic trials, speed has always the upper hand. Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Grant Holloway have shed sweat to prove this. However, today in the 100m hurdles heat in the women’s category, Nia Ali has established a fresh statement, and it says the trick is the ultimate, rest can follow behind. 

As per the rules from USATF, the 100m hurdles heat in the women’s category can send each participant to the semis, albeit the ranking in the leaderboard. Nia, the better half of Olympic champion Andre De Grasse, knew that fact. So, in the penultimate event, she jogged and earned the qualification. However, the leaderboard displayed her in the seventh position, 8 seconds behind the topper Christina Clemons. But that hardly mattered as the sprinter achieved fate. After watching such a presence of mind, track and field connoisseur Travis Miller termed the entire scene, “Nia Ali playing chess, not checkers”. That was the level of her presence of mind!

Expectedly, the presence of mind in the field of raw pace and brute force did not go missed by the host. And that led him to ask the sprinter if the move had been pre-planned. The 35-year-old did not keep anything hidden as she cherished, “My warm-up did not go as planned. So I knew that everyone made it through. Just be sure I’m able to stand a chance to get on this team. And I had to do what I did today”. Notably, Nia Ali didn’t feature in the Tokyo Olympics. In fact, she missed the US Olympic trials. 

3 years ago, Nia, with her husband Andre De Grasse, gave birth to their third child. Although the athlete-turned-mom knew that this could make her miss the trials and subsequently the Olympics. But the 2016 Olympic medalist was ready to take the final call, and it was “a gamble worth taking.” In 2022, she made her comeback and her success has continued. Yet, it was the first time Nia Ali applied such intelligence on the track. Naturally, the communities have taken special note of that. 

Nia Ali ‘not gonna do extra work’ on the track

Fred Kerley, the American prospect of bringing an Olympic medal, noticed the theatrics Nia Ali staged up today in the event. Even he couldn’t hide his wonder. But soon the Olympian found a similarity with the chess game where walking is the best option to reach the crown. That comparison made him write, “Chess move right their” on X. If there’s chess, there comes mathematics as well. 

One of the fans acknowledged Nia Ali’s educational level, which made her explore such a way. Notably, Nia completed her degree at the University of Southern California. So taming that education part, the fan penned, “Nia Ali did the math and decided to jog a hurdle sprint. That’s a USC education at work.” Also, the path she followed might inspire others in a similar situation. 

That formula made one fan jot down, “Nia Ali smart as hell..what’s the point in going all out in a prelim if everybody making it thru to the next round.”  A similar tone was reflected in another comment, “I’m surprised more people haven’t done what Nia Ali just did lol I definitely would have”. Ultimately, it was putting in the smart work and extending the best foot ahead. One fan noted it in the comment: “Lmao Nia Ali said I’m not gonna do extra work if I don’t have to”.

Not to forget, the application of presence of mind also helped her save her energy for the upcoming days, preferably the semifinal and the final days. Being a veteran athlete, she knows that rule. So a comment like, “Lmao Nia Ali said I’m not gonna do extra work if I don’t have to” fits her well. Above all, Nia Ali proved why she has all the achievements in her resume and at 35 years of age as well, she wants to add a few more pages to that.