Eswatini sprinter Sibusiso Matsenjwa broke the national record clocking 20.34 to finish third in his heat and qualified for the semi-final of the Olympic Games on Tuesday.
Matsenjwa who had earlier stated he wants to be in the final came off second behind America’s Lyles Noah in the half-lap event.
The 33-year-old broke his own record of 20:47 that he set during All Comers Meet in Lusaka, Zambia earlier this year.
Matsenjwa had been disqualified for a false start but was reinstated and allowed to race in heat seven, that also had Ghana’s Joseph Amoah, who finished third in a time of 20.35 seconds to secure automatic qualification.
South Africa’s Clarence Munyai came home fourth in the same heat seven but sailed to the semi-finals 20.78 seconds.
Munyai joined his countrymen Shaun Maswanganyi and Anaso Jobodwana in the semis after they clocked 20.58 and 20.78 s respectively.
Nigeria’s Divine Oduduru also breezed to the next stage after finishing in the second position behind Jamaica’s Rasheed Dwyer in Heat 1 with a time of 20.36s.
Joseph Fahnbulleh from Liberia also joined the rest of Africa representatives after finishing in second place in his heat with a time of 20.46 seconds.
However, it was a disappointing outing for Cameroonian Emmanuel Eseme, Mali’s Fodé Sissoko and Sydney Siame from Zambia as the trio clocked below the qualifying mark of 20.53.
Emmanuel Matadi from Liberia failed to start, as he was pulled out from the race, despite posting a time of 10.25 sec in the Round One of the Olympic event.
Photos Credit:Reuters
