Chinese man fails to reach semis in 200m race
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-25 08:41

Triple Chinese champion Yang Yaozu failed to reach the semi-finals of the men's 200-meter race in the Athens Olympic Games on Tuesday, ten hours after he became the first Chinese qualified for the second round of the event in Olympics.

Yang, from Shanghai, finished the last in the eight-man group of Heat 2 clocking 21.03 seconds, 0.57 seconds after the heat leader Bernard Williams from the United States crossed the line.

The 23-year-old sprinter timed at a personal best 20.69 of this year to qualify for the second round, lying the thirteenth out of the 32 qualifiers.

His personal best is 20.58, achieved at the Busan Asian Games in 2002 when Yang claimed the bronze medal.

Before Yang, no Chinese had come out from the first round in the men's 200m event in Olympic Games.

Shawn Crawford of the United States was the fastest in the second round, timed at 19.95, while fellow American Justin Gatlin and Frank Fredericks from Namibia finished the second and the third with at 20.03 and 20.20 respectively.

Fredericks was the former world champion at 200m in 1993, and had collected four Olympic and four world silvers in 100m and 200m.

"I am just happy that I am still competitive," said Fredericks."I know I will have to run under 20.00 and I'll see how it goes tomorrow."

Close

Today's Top News     Top Sports News
Bank of China turns into joint stock firm         Report: Russian jet sent hijack signal         Action taken to prevent bird flu spreading         Eastern provinces prepare for typhoon         Report: Abu Ghraib was 'Animal House'         Guangdong to auction most of official cars	China book first semi-final berth in women's volleyball       Penalty shoot-out denies China berth in hockey final       Chinese man fails to reach semis in 200m race       China secure first ever Olympic boxing medal       Olympic discus champ thrown out of Games       Hurdler Liu gets in 1st blow against Johnson