World Youth Athletics

Zahir storms into 400m semis

Mohammed Zahir Rayhan, the young athletes of Bangladesh made a history after qualifying in the semifinal phase in the 400 meters clocking 48.00 seconds in the ongoing World Youth Athletics Championship (IAAF Under-18) yesterday in Nairobi.

He is the first ever Bangladeshi athlete earned the feat to qualify in the world level athletics championship.

Zahir earned the feat when he stood third in his heat where he ran along with Jamaican Anthony Cocks, who is graded the next fastest man in the world, as the legendary Jamaican Usain Bolt commented about him (Anthony) – “Anthony will my proper successor, he will be the next world champion,” Bolt replied to media when he was asked who would be the next after his London competition.

Zahir, who expressed his happiness over phone to reporters from Nairobi yesterday after making his dream true qualifying in the semifinal in the World Youth Championship. He said, “I did better than I expected as I clocked 48.00 seconds, 1.12 seconds better than I did in Thailand in qualifying phase.”

“Now I will give my highest efforts to make a room in the last eight (final), my confidence level is good after qualifying in the semifinal,” said an overwhelmed Zahir from Nairobi.

A student of the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Pratisthan (BKSP), Zahir, who was second in the 100 meters and first in the 200 and 400 meters in the national junior meet said, “I was in heat number one along with Jamaican Cocks and other country’s top athletes, I had to fight for the place.

Cocks was the fastest man among 40 athletes in the heat with timing 46.00 seconds.

Abdullah Hil Kafi, former fastest man of Bangladesh, who qualified in the World Youth Games in 100 meters in 1998, after returning from Bangkok remarked on the talent of Zahir, as he said, “Zahir has bright future, I am very hopeful about him, he needs high performance and long time training,” Zahir proved the prediction of former Bangladesh champion true.

World Youth Athletics

Zahir storms into 400m semis

Mohammed Zahir Rayhan, the young athletes of Bangladesh made a history after qualifying in the semifinal phase in the 400 meters clocking 48.00 seconds in the ongoing World Youth Athletics Championship (IAAF Under-18) yesterday in Nairobi. He is the first ever Bangladeshi athlete earned the feat to qualify in the world level athletics championship. Zahir earned the feat when he stood third in his heat where he ran along with Jamaican Anthony Cocks, who is graded the next fastest man in the world, as the legendary Jamaican Usain Bolt commented about him (Anthony) Anthony will my proper successor, he will be the next world champion, Bolt replied to media when he was asked who would be the next after his London competition. Zahir, who expressed his happiness over phone to reporters from Nairobi yesterday after making his dream true qualifying in the semifinal in the World Youth Championship. He said, I did better than I expected as I clocked 48.00 seconds, 1.12 seconds better than I did in Thailand in qualifying phase. Now I will give my highest efforts to make a room in the last eight (final), my confidence level is good after qualifying in the semifinal, said an overwhelmed Zahir from Nairobi. A student of the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Pratisthan (BKSP), Zahir, who was second in the 100 meters and first in the 200 and 400 meters in the national junior meet said, I was in heat number one along with Jamaican Cocks and other countrys top athletes, I had to fight for the place. Cocks was the fastest man among 40 athletes in the heat with timing 46.00 seconds. Abdullah Hil Kafi, former fastest man of Bangladesh, who qualified in the World Youth Games in 100 meters in 1998, after returning from Bangkok remarked on the talent of Zahir, as he said, Zahir has bright future, I am very hopeful about him, he needs high performance and long time training, Zahir proved the prediction of former Bangladesh champion true.