Ace sprinter Masudul Karim will aim to win his 50th national gold medal at the 34th National Athletics Championships.

The Bangladesh Army sprinter, who missed the lat national meet due to illness, regained the men's 200m crown yesterday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, finishing in 21.40s ahead of Hafiz of Bangladesh Air Force and his teammate Mizanur Rahman.

The 31-year-old has been in the national circuit for 10 years and it was the hurdler turned sprinter's 48th gold medal in nationals.

"1 want to win the 4x100m relay and the 100m tomorrow. Il would be a half-century of medals for me,” said Masud, who also missed the 2005 national athletics when he wasabroad on a mission

"I have won all the 200m races since 2002 except in 2005 and 2008,” said Masud who won five medals in a single championships four times.

With 100m champion Abu Abdullah and last year's 200m winner Shamsuddin deserting the country last month, Masud will lead Bangladesh's sprint team in next year's South Asian Games.

"The world never stops for someone's absence," he said referring to the two runaways. "When the final preparation begins for the SAG, we will know what our situation is. 1 feel that we need foreign training if we have to win a 100m gold in the SAG," he added.

Former champion sprinter Golam Ambia had 41 national gold medals to his name.

The women's 200m gold went to BJMC's Nazmunnahar Beauty who won her fifth consecutive title in the event.

"I have not attended the SAG camps due to my (degree) exams but 1 came back to the track to prove I am not finished yet," said Beauty after touching the line in 24.70s.

"Now 1 am concentrating on the 100m."