Boy, 10, who nearly lost his feet to lawnmower finishes Toronto triathlon

Austin said he was thankful for the help he got at the hospital.

“They helped me by reattaching my foot. Without them I probably wouldn’t be able to run or anything like that. I probably wouldn’t even have my foot.”

Mislawchuk won the men’s pro race earlier in the day, posting the fastest run to take the title in front of a home crowd. Slovakia’s Zuzana Michaličková won the women’s race in 59:34, with Canada’s Kira Gupta-Baltazar finishing third.

Mislawchuk said running the final stretch with Austin afterward was one of the highlights of his day.

“When I got approached about it, I wanted to be part of it as soon as they mentioned it,” he said. “I remember telling everyone around me, ‘What a cool opportunity.’ Those don’t come around all the time.”

Austin’s parents and brother watched from behind the finish line as he came through.

“There was such pride watching him, and his smile, and his positive attitude through the entire process,” his mother, Erika Byres, said.

His father, Kurt Byres, said the family hopes Austin’s example resonates beyond his own recovery.

“I’m really proud of Austin and all the perseverance that he showed us, and we really hope that he can show other kids that you can really do anything you can put your mind to,” he said.

Jack, Austin’s brother, echoed that sentiment. “I feel proud of him, to show that he can do anything no matter how hard it is,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2026.

Sandra Ezekwesili, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Boy, 10, who nearly lost his feet to lawnmower finishes Toronto triathlon

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