Sharuk Khan breaks U20 NR in 3000m steeplechase to qualify for final at World U20 C'ships

India's Sharuk Khan broke the national U20 record in 3000m steeplechase to qualify for the final with a sixth-place finish in his heat race at the World Athletics U20 Championships here.

The 18-year-old Khan ran 8 minute 45.12 second to finish sixth in heat one late Wednesday night and qualify for the final to be held on August 31.

First eight finishers in each of the two heat races qualify for the final.

The earlier national U20 record in this event was in the name of 19-year-old Rajesh of Rajasthan who had clocked 8:50.12sec while finishing fourth at the Federation Cup National Senior Championships in May in Bhubaneswar.

Khan's earlier personal best was 8:51.75sec, which he had clocked while winning a silver at the Asian U20 Championships in Korea in June last year.

It was also a national record of that time before Rajesh bettered it. Another Indian, Jay Kumar qualified for the men's 400m final after finishing third in his semifinal heat race with a personal best time of 46.96 seconds.