KUANTAN – It was a less-than-ideal start for sprinting sensation Muhammad Azeem Fahmi, as he was disqualified in the 200m semi-finals at the Malaysia Open today.
Azeem initially recorded the fastest time in the heats, clocking 21.32sec and outpacing Australia’s Jack Bolton, who finished in 21.52sec.
However, Azeem’s dreams were dashed in the semi-finals due to a false start and he was directed to leave the track, resulting in his disqualification.
This left fans at the Darul Makmur Stadium here disappointed, missing the chance to see the 20-year-old runner in the final.
Whether the false start was intentional or not remains uncertain, especially with Azeem facing a crucial race tomorrow to qualify for the Paris Olympics in his pet 100m event.
“For tonight’s race, I consider it was not my luck, and things happened unexpectedly. But it’s okay, now it’s time for me to focus on the 100m event tomorrow, pray for the best for me,” Azeem said briefly.
Azeem has a packed 100m schedule tomorrow, starting with the heats at 10.55am, followed by the semi-finals at 5.50pm, and the final three hours later.
He not only needs to win but also crack 10.25sec to improve his world ranking and brighten his chances for Paris.
The 200m was won by Jonathan Nyepa from Sarawak with a time of 21.28sec.
Bolton took silver, and the bronze went to the host participant, Efrain Feerzan Khan. – June 14, 2024