KUALA LUMPUR: Azeem Fahmi became the first ever Malaysian sprinter to qualify for the 100m final in the World Junior Athletics Championships.
The speedster from Perak clocked 10.19s to finish second in the third semi-final in Cali, Colombia.
However, his effort was slower than his national record of 10.09 set a day earlier in the heats.
Nonetheless, it was a proud moment for Azeem who qualified as the sixth fastest of the three semi-finals.
Azeem finished second to Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Jamaica who clocked 10.11.
Azeem was distracted by a false start which saw all eight sprinters given a warning.
He had a slow start from the blocks but managed to move into second spot behind the Jamaican.
The 18-year-old Azeem, who was disqualified in the 100m semi-finals for a false start at the Hanoi Sea Games, said the false start during the semi-final in Cali affected his focus.
"But I am happy to finish second and qualify for the final," said Azeem.
Sixteen-year-old Puripol Boonson of Thailand recorded 10.09 to win the second semi-final while Japan's Hiroki Yanagita finished second in 10.15. The Thai sprinter clocked the fastest time of the three semi-finals.
Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who has a personal best of 9.96, won the first semi-final by posting 10.14 to finish ahead of Jamaican Benjamin Richardson, who clocked 10.17.
Meanwhile Elvin Yap finished eighth and last in the 110m hurdles semi-finals.
The Sarawakian, who did a personal best of 13.91s in the heats, was a second slower (14.92) in the semi-final.