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Asian champion Roqaya al-Gassra of Bahrain stormed into the 200 metres semi-finals on Tuesday, making headlines with her fast times and her aerodynamic burka, dpa reported.

Al-Gassra won her second-round race in 22.76 seconds to make the final 16 along with all the Jamaican and American favourites.

"I am happy," was all al-Gassra said after her race which was just 11 hundredths off her personal best 22.65 seconds.

Al-Gassra is running fully covered in accordance with Muslim tradition, wearing a long body suit.

She covers her head not with a scarf but with a hood. The outfit resembles the one Cathy Freeman wore in her golden 400m run at Sydney 2000.