KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Malaysia may have only returned with a silver in the Asian Track and Field Championships in Bubhaneswar but their overall performance augurs well for SEA Games next month.
Discus thrower Irfan Shamsuddin led the way by securing the solitary medal but his compatriots, although unable to achieve podium finish, broke several records and hit personal bests in their respective events.
Irfan recorded 60.96m to finish behind Iran’s 2012 Olympic silver medallist Ehsan Haddadi (64.54m) but the former is the clear favourite to complete his hattrick in the SEA Games.
His throw was better than the SEA Games record of held by James Wong of Singapore and Irfan showed he is in prime condition surpass the mark in KL.
One can’t help feeling sorry for Khairul Hafiz Jantan who was one race away from being crowned the fastest runner in Asia but came undone by a false start in the 100m final.
Khairul was the fastest qualifier in the heats after recording 10.28s, lowered it down to 10.24s in the semis, going into the final as the quickest.
The Melaka-born would have been gutted as he watched Hassan Taftian (10.25s), Qatar’s Femi Ogunude (10.25s) and Taiwan’s Yang Chun-han (10.31s) clock slower times en route to their medals.
Khairul’s missed a rare opportunity to win Malaysia’s first 100m crown in ATF but the disappointment will spur him to conquer his rivals, especially the Thais, in the regional Games.
Nazmizan Muhammad was the last Malaysian to win the sprint double in 2003 and Khairul is in good nick for the 100m and may well spring a surprise in the 200m.
Badrul Hisyam Abdul Manap, whose personal best in the 100m is 10.25s, didn’t run in his pet event but registered his personal best in the 400m with 47.48s, but it may only place him behind Vietnam’s Quac Chong Lic who did 46.35s.
If everything goes to plan, it could be a one-two finish for Malaysia in the blue ribband event and Khairul looks good enough to attack the Games record of 10.17s held by Indonesian Suryo Agung Wibowo.
Chomping at their heels are Eric Cray from Phillipines with a time of 10.32s and Jirapong Meenapra who is leading in the 200m times this year on 21.09 seconds.
Malaysia may finally have the 4x100m quartet to challenge Asian-class Thais for gold.
Khairul, Badrul, Jonathan Nyepa and Nixson Kennedy clocked 39.98s in India while the Thais (Kritsada Namsuang, Bandit Chuangchai, Jeerapong Meenapra and Jaran Santhuengram) took silver with 39.58s.
The unpredictable nature of the relay events and the current form of the Malaysian sprinters give plenty of hopes and Malaysia have all the ingrediants to finally dominate men’s sprints.
It could only add further cheer if the women’s 4x100m relay quartet of Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli, Nurul Faizah Asma Mazlan, S.Komalam Shally and Siti Fatimah Mohamed, who clocked 45.18s to finish fifth in the final and erased the national record of 45.19s, can upset the odds in the SEA Games.
Thais registered 44.74s to finish fourth but Malaysia could be further strengthened if Shereen Samson Vallabuoy, who missed the ATF due to a hamtring injury, makes a return for the SEA Games.
“It’s back to back records despite running with a different first runner,” said Zainal on them having to switch Faizah with Shereen.
“At the Thailand Open we had Shereen, and Faizah at the ATF.”
Sprint queen Zaidatul broke the national record in South Africa with a time of 11.45s but it wasn’t official due to faulty equipment. She’ll have a tall order to win gold at the SEA Games. The record
belongs to the Philippines’ Lydia de Vega with a time of 11.28s.
Malaysia have dominated men’s high jump and with Nauraj Singh Rhandawa having a golden run and with a personal best of 2.27m, is good enough for gold while Lee Hup Wei should provide cover after registering 2.20m in the final of the ATF.
Hammer thrower Jackie Wong Siew Cheer whose on a record breaking streak could only manage eight with his best hurl 64.84m. The winner was Rio Olympics champion Dilshod Nazarov of Tajikistan with 79.69m.
The silver lining here is Jackie’s was close to the SEA Games record of 65.63m. He threw 65.34m at the Korean Open last month and is the first Asean to make the final of the ATF.
Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian, meanwhile, smashed the 23-year-old record of 13.73s in the 100m hurdles in May with a run of 13.67s.
The SEA Games record is held by Jamras Rittidet of Thailand with a time of 13.69s. His personal best is 13.61s.
Rayzam will need to be at his peak in order to win. He managed 14.03s to finish fourth in his heat, failing to go progress past the first round at the ATF.
