KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's fastest man, Azeem Fahmi, needs to run at least 10.05 seconds in the 100m in a preliminary race in Paris on Aug 3, or else his Olympic involvement is over.
And 10.05 is a big barrier for the Asian Games bronze medallist as Azeem has not been able to come close to his national record since that 10.09 run two years ago.
Malaysian Athletics Federation Technical Director John Ballard said the 20-year-old speedster needs to do at least 10.05 if he hopes to reach the Olympic
semi-finals.
"This is based on the times of the last Olympics in Tokyo. So, Azeem has to break his national record to achieve it.
"Qualifying for the semi-finals is just as hard as qualifying for the final," added Ballard.
The only Malaysian to have reached the semi-finals in an Olympic track event was Tan Sri Dr M. Jegathesan. He did it twice, in the men's 200m in 1964, Tokyo, and 1968, Mexico.
Azeem will train at the Olympic venue, the Stade de France on Aug 1 before his preliminary race on Aug 3.
Indonesia's former world junior champion, Lalu Muhammad Zohri, apart from Azeem, will be among 36 sprinters in the preliminary heats.
There are nine lanes and four heats are expected. The two fastest runners from each heat are expected to qualify for the heats proper. Only the top 24 sprinters advance to the semi-finals.
Azeem has been having a quiet season as his best outing this year was 10.24 (wind assisted) in a competition in the United States.