KUALA LUMPUR: Shereen Samson Vallabouy finished seventh in the 200m in the first heat at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational Athletics Championships in Florida, United States, yesterday.
The 25-year-old Perakian clocked 23.78s, which was outside her national record of 23.33.
Nigeria's Favour Ofili won the race in 22.33 and Adidas' Anavia Battle was second (22.56). Ida Karstoft of Arctic Approach Management was third (22.60).
It was Shereen's second 200m race this season. Last month, she ran in the Bob Hayes High School Invitational in Jacksonville and clocked 23.63.
Malaysian Athletics Federation technical director John Ballard said the windy conditions there made it tough for Asian Games 400m bronze medallist Shereen to run a faster time.
"Clocking 23.78 is a good time despite the windy conditions. Based on the time she certainly looks to be on the right track to dip below her national record of 51.80 in the 400m (today).
"Her main focus will be the 400m (Shereen needs to run 50.95) to qualify for the Paris Olympics," said the Australian coach.
Meanwhile, Azeem Fahmi, who holds the national record of 10.09, will compete in the 100m of the Tom Jones meet (he needs to run 10 seconds flat) to qualify for the Olympics.
