Thai teenage sprinter Puripol Boonson has qualified for the 200m event of next month's World Athletics Championships.
The teen phenom earned a ticket to the tournament after finishing first in record-breaking fashion at the Qosanov Memorial Athletics Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Sunday.
The 16-year-old crossed the line in 20.19sec, beating the SEA Games mark of 20.37 he set in Vietnam last month. Compatriot Soraot Dapbang came in second at 20.54.
However, Surapong Ariyamongkol, secretary-general of the Athletics Association of Thailand, said Puripol may withdraw from the July 15-24 world championships to get ready for the U20 world championships in August.
"We'd like him to focus on the U20 world championships to be held from August 1-6 in Colombia where he will have a high chance of winning a medal," Surapong said.
Nicknamed "Bew" and dubbed "Angel Bew" by the Thai media, Puripol shot to fame on the international stage at the SEA Games in Vietnam last month when he claimed three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m races.
Puripol burst onto the scene at the National Games in March when he swept the 100m and 200m titles and set new records in both events.
