Not all about Azeem

PETALING JAYA: National sprints coach Poad Kassim is optimistic that Mohd Azeem Fahmi (pic) can produce a medal-winning performance in the men’s 100m but also expects the men and women’s 4x100m relay quartets to rise to the occasion at the Asian Athletics Championships which begins in Bangkok today.

Poad said Azeem was in fine form during the two-week training camp at the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) in Tanjung Malim prior to the Asian meet and is in prime condition to go for a medal.

He will be ably supported by former SEA Games champion Khairul Hafiz Jantan, whom Poad is expecting to see competing in the men’s 100m final alongside Azeem.

If Azeem achieves a podium finish, he will be the only Malaysian sprinter other than Watson Nyambek, who secured silver in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1998, to win a medal in the century sprint of the regional meet.

“Azeem has been performing well during the training camp and was recording some fast times and we are hoping that he can win a medal,” said Poad.

“He has been following the programme given by his American coach (Ken Harnden), who will be in Bangkok and they will have a plan to execute to try and go for a podium finish.

“I also hope that he can qualify on merit for the Paris Olympics by registering a fast time (below 10s).

“Based on the season’s best, Khairul has the second best time at 10.36s, which he clocked in Australia before the SEA Games. He has shown progress and our target for him is to reach the final.”

Azeem and Khairul will combine with Jonathan Nyepa and newcomer Mohd Thaqif Hisham to attempt to win the country’s first medal in the men’s 4x100m in the Asian Championships, which began in 1973.

Thaqif has replaced 2019 SEA Games champion Haiqal Hanafi, who had to be left out after suffering an ankle injury during training recently.

The women’s 4x400m quartet of Saidatul Husniah Zulkifli, Azreen Nabila Alias, Nur Afrina Batrisya Mohd Rizal and Chelsea Cassiopia Evali Bopulas will also try to win the elusive medal in the meet.

“We are expecting some surprises from either the men’s or women’s relay teams as they have been preparing well for the Asian meet,” added Poad.

“During our centralised phase at UPSI, we also practised for the relays and so far, Thaqif has managed to combine well with the other members of the quartet.

“He has a personal best of 10.46s, which is not too far from Haiqal’s (10.44), so we are looking forward to a good performance from them.

“Cassiopia is also in the long list for the Asian Games and although she is a 400m runner, she also runs the 100m and the women’s quartet can hope for a good result.”

Although it may be tough for the relay quartets to secure a podium finish, they can aim at setting new national marks.

Other than Azeem, Malaysia can look up to six-time SEA Games champion Irfan Shamsuddin for a medal where he is also said to be in good form after his triumph in Cambodia in May.

Irfan secured a silver medal in 2017 and was ranked third in Asia last year with a throw of 61.61m but it could turn out to be a golden throw if he can break his national mark of 62.55m in Bangkok this week.