Sha Mahmood Noor Zahi (born 21 March 1991) is an Afghan sprinter who competes in the 100 metres. He has represented Afghanistan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, setting national records in the men's 100 m event.
Early life and background
Sha Mahmood Noor Zahi was born on 21 March 1991 in Afghanistan. Details of his early life and training background are limited in publicly available sources.
Athletic career
| Year | Competition | Event | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Summer Olympics (Tokyo) | Men's 100 m (preliminary round) | 7th in heat, time 11.4 s | Qualified on a universality place through an Olympic Scholarship; set a new Afghan national record. |
| 2024 | Summer Olympics (Paris) | Men's 100 m (preliminary round) | 4th in heat, time 10.64 s | Improved his national record; did not advance to the next round. |
| 2022 | Asian Games (Hangzhou) | Athletics | Participant | Competed in track events; specific results not detailed in sources. |
Noor Zahi trains primarily in sprint events (100 m, 200 m, 60 m indoor). His personal best in the 100 m, as recorded by World Athletics, is 10.64 seconds.
Olympic participation
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2020 Tokyo Olympics – Selected by World Athletics on a universality place. Competed in the men's 100 m preliminary round, recording a time of 11.4 seconds, which was a new Afghan national record at the time. He placed seventh in his heat and did not advance to the main competition round.
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2024 Paris Olympics – Qualified again for the 100 m event. In the preliminary heat, he finished fourth with a time of 10.64 seconds, further lowering the Afghan national record. He missed advancement to the next round by one position.
Personal bests
- 100 m: 10.64 seconds (set at the 2024 Summer Olympics)
Other sprint distances (200 m, 60 m indoor) have been listed in his World Athletics profile, but specific times are not detailed in the available references.
Recognition
Noor Zahi’s participation has been highlighted in Afghan media as a notable achievement for the nation’s athletics program, particularly given the limited resources and political challenges faced by Afghan athletes.
References
- Wikipedia entry “Sha Mahmood Noor Zahi,” retrieved via a public mirror.
- World Athletics athlete profile for Sha Mahmood Noor Zahi.
- Olympic Games official athlete profile (Tokyo 2020).
- Reuters article on Afghan sprinters setting national records at the Tokyo Olympics.
- RFE/RL report on Afghan athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
