KUALA LUMPUR: It was a proud moment for Azeem Fahmi when he clocked 10.14s in the 100m final to finish fifth fastest at the World Junior Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia on Tuesday.
The Perak-bron is the first Malaysian to qualify for the sprint final in the meet.
It was a successful outing for Azeem, who had smashed the national record by clocking 10.09 in the heats on Monday.
Letsile Tebogo of Botswana posted a personal best of 9.91 in the final to break the world junior record and also become the fastest junior sprinter in the world.
Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Jamaica clocked 10.02 to bag the silver while Benjamin Richardson of South Africa and sixteen-year-old Puripol Boonson of Thailand both clocked the same time of 10.14.
But the African was awarded the bronze and the Sea Games gold medallist had to be satisfied with fourth place.
Puripol clocked 10.09 --- the fastest time in the semifinals.
Azeem finished sixth fastest with 10.19 in the semi-finals.
The 18-year-old Azeem was overall happy with his achievement of finishing fifth in the world junior meet.
"I am pleased to have broken the national 100m record en route to the final. I am looking forward to my next event --- the 200m tomorrow," said Azeem, who has a personal best of 20.89 in the 200m.