Grapevine

Azamati, Saminu fail to reach 100m finals after disappointing semis

Accra, Aug. 04, GNA – Ghanaian sprinters Benjamin Azamati and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu couldn’t qualify for the 100m finals at the ongoing Paris Olympics.

Azamati, who is the national record holder, placed ninth in the first semi-finals of the 100m dash, clocking 10.17s.

Azamati, who started in lane three, couldn’t match the speed of Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, who won the race in 9.81s, while reigning World Champion Noah Lyles earned the second automatic spot in the finals after finishing second with 9.83s.

Following his impressive Olympic debut in the 100m heats, Ghana’s Saminu placed seventh in the third 100m semi-final race, clocking 10.05s.

The two Ghanaian sprinters couldn’t replicate the finals berth that was twice achieved by Aziz Zakari at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Games.