National athlete Azlan Kuste sets new 800m record of 1:58.75 at Deaflympics but fails to qualify for final, will now focus on 5000m event.
TOKYO: National athlete Azlan Kuste broke his own 800m national record for the second consecutive day at the 2025 Deaflympics.
The 158cm tall runner clocked 1 minute 58.75 seconds in his semifinal at Komazawa Metropolitan Stadium today.
This improved on the 1:59.40 he set yesterday in the first-round heats.
His previous record of 2:03.97 came from the Jakarta Deaf SEA Games in August.
However, Azlan failed to qualify for the final as he finished third in his semifinal.
Only the top two runners from each heat and the next two fastest overall advanced.
“I am grateful to break the national record twice in a row and want to thank my parents for their constant support,” he said through a sign language interpreter.
Azlan stated he was accustomed to back-to-back competitions through proper training adaptation.
Although missing the final, he believed he had delivered his maximum effort.
He credited his race strategy with coaches for helping him overtake competitors.
A strong sprint in the final 200 metres proved particularly effective.
Azlan will now focus on the 5000-metre final scheduled for November 24. – Bernama
