Hong Kong sprinter Felix Diu was on Saturday eliminated in the preliminary round of the men’s 100m race, finishing fourth in his heat.

He was unable to establish a new SAR record with a time of 10.62 seconds, just 0.02 seconds short of coming in second place.

Gary Noa Jerrel Bibi of Mauritius came first in the heat with a time of 10.27 seconds.

Diu's time was 0.34 seconds short of the Hong Kong record of 10.28 seconds, jointly held by Tsui Chi-ho and Ng Ka-fung.

The top two in each heat and the four fastest runners from the rest of the pack can advance to the next round.

The 100-metre specialist entered the Olympics through a wild card.

Olympic qualification for the 100m dash is 10 seconds and Diu’s personal best, which is also his best time this year, is 10.33 seconds.

After the race, Diu expressed disappointment with his performance, saying he had been dealing with a leg injury, and that has affected his training.

"Today, my condition wasn't as good as it was when I clocked a 10.33, so perhaps I will just work harder next time, and in competitions next year," he told RTHK.

While being the third Hong Kong sprinter in history to make it to the 100m race at the Games, the sprinter, 24, said he learnt quite a lot from his "unforgettable" Olympic debut.

"It's a rather shocking and exciting experience. There are so many spectators in the stadium cheering for athletes, it's really something different."
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Last updated: 2024-08-03 HKT 17:41