Injury heartbreak for Azeem in Asian Games 100m final

NAGOYA: Malaysian sprinter Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi's aspirations to retain his Asian Games 100-metre bronze medal were shattered when a mid-race injury forced him to conclude the race in pain during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The 22-year-old secured eighth place with a time of 14.65 seconds after sustaining an injury during the competition at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

Despite the agony, Azeem completed the race before collapsing on the track to receive medical assistance. This denouement prevented Azeem from replicating his bronze-medal performance from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

In stark contrast, Thailand's Puripol Boonson solidified his reputation as Asia's swiftest athlete by defending his title with a time of 9.90 seconds. This achievement also allowed Boonson to break his own Asian Games record of 9.91 seconds, which he had set earlier in the semi-finals. Oman's Ali Al Balushi claimed silver with a time of 10.04 seconds, while his fellow countryman Malham Al Balushi secured bronze with the same time.