Halstead impresses in world junior sprint semi-final

Tyrone HalsteadYork Lions sprint star Tyrone Halstead barely missed qualifying for the final in the 100 metres July 8 at the IAAF world junior track and field championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, after finishing third in his semi-final.

Right: Tyrone Halstead

With two runners from each of the three semi-finals as well as the next two fastest sprinters advancing to the final, Halstead finished just six hundredths of a second behind runner-up David Lescay of Cuba in the third semi-final.

Halstead crossed the line in 10.65 seconds in the semis after winning his preliminary heat in 10.60 seconds earlier in the day. Overall, Halstead finished 11th in the under-19 age event.

“I think you’re looking at a very special individual,” Lions head coach Colin Inglis said of Halstead. “I don’t think he’ll be content with it, knowing he was that close to making the final. But it shows the calibre of athlete he is. He has a very bright future, he has some real upside and he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

Halstead was named OUA rookie of the year this past season. He won a silver medal in the 60 metres at the CIS championship in Montreal.

Submitted to YFile by Mike Koreen, sport & recreation information officer in York’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health.