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NEWSMAKER: Tyler Christopher Canada's emerging track star
CBC Sports Online | August 12, 2005
Canada's Tyler Christopher won bronze
in the men's 400-metre final in Helsinki. (CP PHOTO) |
Tyler Christopher raced into the hearts of Canadians
everywhere when he won the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres at
the world track and field championships in Helsinki.
Carry the weighty expectations of an entire nation on his broad shoulders,
the 21-year-old native of Chilliwack, B.C., earned Canada's first
offical medal of the competition by clocking a national record 44.44
seconds.
American and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner took gold in 43.93. Temmate
Andrew Rock picked up the silver in 44.35.
Heading into the world championships, Perdita Felicien, the reigning
world champion in the women's 100 hurdles, represented Canada's best
hope for a medal in Helsinki.
Those hopes were dashed when she failed to qualify for the final race,
but thankfully Christopher reached the medal podium, ensuring Canada
of glory in Finland.
Christopher's track career began when he was nine-years-old, introduced
to track and field sports by his mother as a way to work off his boyish
energy.
A knee problem at age 14 sidelined his involvement in track for two
years, but he came back better than ever when he recovered, going
on to specialize in long and triple jump.
Christopher has been untouchable in the 2005 season, winning all four
races he's competed in and rewriting the Canadian record book along
the way.
Considered the country's most promising young runner, Christopher
won the 400 at the Rio Grand Prix in mid-May.
He romped to victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix one week later, and
his winning time of 44.72 set a new Canadian record.
Then came Christopher's most memorable performance: a victory at the
Paris Golden League meet on July 1.
The Canadian youngster out-sprinted a world-class field to win the
event in 44.69, breaking his own Canadian record. Even more impressive
was the fact his margin of victory was six-tenths of a second - a
whopping margin in the world of short-distance track events.
Just two days after recording his first ever Golden League victory,
Christopher won a Grand Prix meet in Padova, Italy, in 45.15.
And now he has a world bronze medal to add to his resume.
"I came in here to win the gold and my determination
my have cost me the silver in the end," said Christopher after
the final. But I wouldn't have got this far without that determination.
It was a huge learning experience for me and I couldn't be happier
right now."
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Born:
Oct. 3, 1983 in Chilliwack, B.C., but resides in Edmonton
Track club:
Edmonton International
Mother knows best:
Christopher's mother introduced him to track and field sports when he was nine
years old.
All business:
Minutes after winning at the Paris Golden League event, Christopher tossed his
bouquet of flowers into the crowd and walked off the track, declining to partake
in the customary victory lap. "A victory lap may come with a couple of years'
experience," Christopher said in an interview with the IAAF website, "and
with being able to walk after my race!"
Pride of Alberta:
Nominated Athletics Alberta Athlete of the Year in 2002
2008 in Beijing:
Athletics Canada has identified Christopher as a medal hopeful for the 2008 Summer
Olympics in Beijing. As a result, he receives financial aid from Canada's "Excellence
Programme" and the government carding system. He also gets an undisclosed
cash sponsorship from Nike.
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