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WINDSOR, Ont. - Riverview sprinter Michael LeBlanc won his 100 metre preliminary heat and advanced to the semifinals at the Canadian track and field championships yesterday.

LeBlanc, running for Metro Moncton's South East Athletic club, won his heat in 10.60 seconds and qualified for today's semifinals. The final will also be held later today.

The national championships is being used as a qualifying meet to determine Canada's 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics team.

This week's Canadian championships is just the second competition LeBlanc has participated in over the past year. He also ran in the Ontario senior track and field championships in Ottawa two weeks ago.

The Syracuse University standout has been out of action because of a back injury he suffered at last year's national championships in Windsor. LeBlanc, 21, ran the fastest Canadian 100 metre time in 2007 in 10.17 seconds during the NCAA national championships semifinals in Sacramento, Calif. He wound up finishing fourth in the NCAA final.

LeBlanc's personal best of 10.17 seconds ranks him 13th in the Canadian all-time men's 100 metre outdoor rankings.

LeBlanc's top Canadian time was broken by Jared Connaughton of New Haven, P.E.I. in May. Connaughton turned in the nation's fastest 100 metre time of the year in 10.15 seconds.

Connaughton also ran the fastest time in yesterday's preliminary round in 10.31 seconds.