PETALING JAYA: Sprinter Danish Iftikhar Mohd Roslee qualified for the men’s 200m final at the Asian Games but missed his own national record by a whisker at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on Saturday (Sept 26).
The 19-year-old clocked a season’s best of 20.76s to finish fourth in the first semi-final heat and book his place in the final.
His previous season’s best was 20.83s, which he set at the recent Malaysian Games (Sukma).
Danish is also the national record holder for the 200m with a time of 20.73s.
Japan’s Soshi Mizukubo was first with a time of 20.37s while Taiwan’s Ke Wu Yen-ming was second with 20.71s and Hong Kong’s Yip King Wai came third with 20.74s.
In the overall standings after three semi-finals, Danish was sixth out of the 24 racers. Only the top eight qualify for the semi-finals.
Another Malaysian Mohd Haziq Mohd Akhir clocked 21.50s in his heat to finish eighth in the third heat of the semi-final.
In his heat, Thailand’s Puripol Boonson won the race with an Asian Games record time of 20.10s, while India’s Animesh Kujur was second with a time of 20.80s, and Bahrain’s Ali Haji was third clocking 20.91s
Meanwhile, National hurdler Mohd Armin Zahryl Abdul Latif finished fourth in the 110m hurdles heats with a time of 13.91s.
With only eight slots available for the 110m hurdles final, Armin finished 13th overall, missing out on the final spot.
In his rain-soaked heat, the third heat, China’s Chen Yuanjiang won the race with a time of 13.52s, while the Philippines’ John Tolentino clocked 13.58s.
Taiwan’s Hsieh Yuan-kai was third, clocking 13.60s.
It is Armin’s debut at the Asian Games and he is the current national record holder with a time of 13.58s.
National shot putter Jonah Chang Rigan, 23, came in seventh in his Asian Games debut
The Sarawakian had three of six attempts recorded, with the best being 18.89m.
He currently holds the national record of 19.12m, which he set at the Qosimov Memorial in Kazakhstan in June.
Iran’s Mohamadreza Tayabise took gold with a games record throw of 20.81s, while India’s Tajinderpal Singh took silver with 20.64m.
Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Tolu took bronze, setting a distance of 20.48m.
