Leon Reid

Leon Reid (born 26 July 1994) is a male track and field sprinter who competes for Ireland, and Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games. He came third in the 200 metres event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

For the American artist, see Leon Reid IV.

Leon Reid
Leon Reid in 2018
Personal information
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Republic of Ireland Irish
Born (1994-07-26) 26 July 1994
Bath, England
Sport
CountryIreland
SportAthletics
Event(s)100 metres, 200 metres
ClubMenapians AC
Coached byJames Hillier
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100m: 10.33 (Aarhus 2017)
200m: 20.27 (Birmingham 2018)
Medal record
Representing  Northern Ireland
Men's athletics
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2018 Gold Coast200 m
Representing  Great Britain
European U23 Championships
Silver medal – second place 2013 Tampere200 m
European Athletics Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place2013 Rieti200 m
European Youth Olympic Festival
Silver medal – second place2011 Trabzon100 m
Silver medal – second place2011 Trabzon4×100 m relay
Representing  England
Commonwealth Youth Games
Silver medal – second place2011 Douglas4×100 m

Career

Born in the West Country, England, Reid won silver medals for Great Britain at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival, 2013 European Athletics Junior Championships and 2015 European Athletics U23 Championships. He also won a relay silver medal for England at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games. He later decided to represent Northern Ireland – the nation of his mother's birth – and made his international debut for them at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. He attempted to transfer his allegiance to represent Ireland, but this move was blocked following a temporary freeze on such moves by the International Association of Athletics Federations.[1] Once the freeze was lifted, Reid began competing for Ireland, with his first event the 2018 European Championships.

Reid took bronze in the men's 200 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Initially he finished 4th, but was elevated when Zharnel Hughes was disqualified for a lane violation.[2] This was the first Commonwealth Games athletics medal for Northern Ireland in 28 years.[3][4]

Reid won the 200 metres at the Irish National Championships in June 2021, and was nominated to the 2020 Summer Olympics team.[5] Initially, the Olympic Federation of Ireland rejected Reid's selection to the team, due to his pending trial for conspiracy to supply cocaine, but he was included in the team after filing an appeal.[5] The delayed Olympics took place in August 2021, and Reid qualified for the 200 metres semi-finals by finishing fifth in his heat, with a season's best time of 20.53 seconds. He failed to qualify for the final after finishing seventh in his semi-final.[6] Reid was selected for the Northern Irish team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but on 12 July 2022, he was barred from participating on security grounds.[7]

Personal life

Reid was born in Bath to an English-Jamaican father, and a mother from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was adopted by a woman whose parents were from the Republic of Ireland.[8] Reid has self-identified as both Northern Irish and Irish.[1]

In April 2021, Reid was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine by Bristol Crown Court.[9][5] In February 2022, he was given a 22-month suspended sentence, and ordered to do 220 hours of unpaid work.[10]

International competitions
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
2011 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival Trabzon,  Turkey 2nd 100 m 10.68
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 41.37
Commonwealth Youth Games Douglas, Isle of Man 6th 100 m 10.72w
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 41.06
2013 European Junior Championships Rieti,  Italy 2nd 200 m 20.92
5th 4 × 100 m relay 40.09
2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow,  Scotland — (h) 100 m DQ
8th (semis) 200 m 21.03
2015 European U23 Championships Tallinn, Estonia 2nd 200 m 20.63
2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia 3rd 200 m 20.55
European Championships Berlin, Germany 7th 200 m 20.37
11th (h) 4 × 400 m relay 3:06.55
2021 European Indoor Championships Toruń, Poland 34th (h) 60 m 6.75
Olympics 2020 Tokyo  Japan 200 m

See also

References
  1. Bloom, Ben (31 March 2018). "Leon Reid interview: Meet the England-born sprinter chasing glory for Northern Ireland... despite hatred, red tape and international exile". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  2. "Commonwealth Games: NI's Leon Reid wins 200m bronze after disqualification". BBC Sport. 12 April 2018.
  3. "Leon Reid wins Northern Ireland's first athletics medal at Commonwealth Games in 28 years". Belfasttelegraph – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  4. McCausland, Malcolm (13 April 2018). "Leon Reid claims bronze for Team NI in Commonwealth Games 200m final". The Irish News.
  5. Dennehy, Cathal (8 July 2021). "Sprinter Leon Reid named on Irish Olympic team despite pending criminal charges". Irish Independent. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  6. Dennehy, Cathal (3 August 2021). "Leon Reid thanks everyone for their support as he bows out in style after his 200m semi-final". Irish Independent. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  7. "Northern Ireland sprinter Leon Reid prevented from competing at Commonwealth Games after security assessment". Belfast Telegraph. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  8. "Leon Reid: 'You can't be Irish because you're black'". The Irish Times.
  9. "Irish sprinter Leon Reid charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine". TheGuardian.com. 7 April 2021.
  10. "Irish sprinter Leon Reid sentenced for allowing his flat to be used to produce crack cocaine". Irish Independent. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
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