PARIS: National sprint king Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi’s Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics ended in the first round after a slight slip in the men’s 100 metres dash today.
The 20-year-old did not advance to the semi-finals after he came in last (ninth) with a time of 10.45 seconds (s) in Heat 2 of the first round at the Stade de France.
The time was far from his national record of 10.09s set at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia in August 2022.
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala led the heat with a time of 10.08s, followed by Italy’s Chituru Ali (10.12s) and Germany’s Joshua Hartmann (10.16s).
Only the top three from each of the eight heats, along with the next three fastest times, advance to the semi-finals.
Earlier, Muhammad Azeem had advanced to the first round after finishing second in his preliminary round heat in a time of 10.42s, behind Ebrahima Camara (10.29s) from Gambia.
When met after the race, Muhammad Azeem was clearly disappointed with the result and could not make eye contact with the Malaysian media representatives seeking his reaction.
However, he promised to come back stronger, aiming to remain Malaysia’s Sprint King and qualify on merit for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (LA28).
“There was a slight slip earlier... It’s not the result I wanted, but I tried to give my best after a challenging season. Being on the Olympic stage is the biggest dream for all athletes. I am very grateful to be here and for the opportunity, but I am disappointed with myself for not being able to perform well.
“This is a challenging transition for me into adulthood... I might explain, but many may not understand. What I’ve gone through this year is new compared to my first time in the US (United States where he is based). This is part of my life process, and the good things I can share, while the not-so-good things I should keep to myself to improve.
“I never imagined reaching this far (the Olympics) and also faltering. But I see it as a good lesson in my life because there is still a long way for me as an athlete, I’m still 20,” he said.
At the Hangzhou Asian Games last September, Muhammad Azeem won bronze with a time of 10.11s, ending the country’s more than four-decade wait for a podium finish in the blue riband event since Datuk Rabuan Pit won gold at the 1982 edition in New Delhi.
The semi-finals are scheduled to take place at 8:05 pm on Sunday (2.05 am Monday Malaysian time), followed by the final at 9.50 pm (3.50 am Monday Malaysian time).
The world and Olympic records for the 100m sprint are still held by Jamaican legend Usain Bolt, with times of 9.58s (August 2009 in Berlin) and 9.63s (August 2012 in London), respectively.
