Shajar fails to deliver in 200m semis

Pakistan sprinter clocks 21.30 seconds in Asian Games semi-final to face exit

Pakistan’s Shajar Abbas, who had qualified for the men’s 200m semi-finals with a time of 21.23 seconds earlier on Saturday, finished 17th overall in the semi-final at the Asian Games in Nagoya.

Abbas clocked 21.30 seconds in heat 3 at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, finishing eighth and missing out on a place in the final.

Thailand’s Puripol Boonson won the heat in 20.10 seconds, while Japan’s Soshi Mizukubo finished second in 20.37. China’s Huang Youwen was third in 20.42.

The top eight athletes from the heat advanced.

Abbas had entered the semi-finals after running 21.23 seconds in the morning session. His 21.30 in the evening was therefore slower by 0.07 seconds.

Meanwhile Khoula Omer Khan finished 23rd out of 26 contestants in the women’s 200m first round heats, clocking 26.53 seconds.