Asia's fastest woman Li Xuemei failed to qualify for the second round of the women's 100 meters after registering a disappointing time of 12.21 seconds at the Olympic Games on Friday.

Li, 27, finished seventh in heat 5 and her tasks at the Games, is all but fulfilled.

Li, who holds the Asian records in the women's 100m and 200m, is still China's fastest woman, although she has been well past her prime.

The Chinese Athletics Association first refused to give her a chance to compete at the Olympics for she could only run once at the first round, but finally she made the team for the high-profile status of the 100m event.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2004)