Newlywed Khairul quick to put honeymoon on hold and stay up to speed for Asian meet

PETALING JAYA: Newlywed national sprinter Khairul Hafiz Jantan is putting his honeymoon on hold – but it’s for a good reason.

Just a week after tying the knot with his wife, Nur Syamimi Abdul Aziz, the 26-year-old speedster is back on the track preparing for the Asian Track and Field Championships from May 27-31 in Gumi, South Korea.

Khairul, who will represent Malaysia in the 100m and 4x100m relay, says his wife has been fully supportive of his sporting commitments.

“She knew what she was signing up for,” said Khairul.

“We talked about it earlier, and she told me we can always do the honeymoon after the SEA Games - if I qualify.”

With a personal best of 10.18s from the 2016 Sukma Games in Kuching, Khairul is eyeing a time of 10.45s in South Korea to book his ticket to the SEA Games.

But it’s not just about individual glory. He’s also fired up to help Malaysia’s sprint relay squad improve on their previous outing.

“Two years ago, we finished fourth with a time of 39.20s. This time, we’re aiming to make the final,” said Khairul, who will team up with Jonathan Nyepa, Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam, and Danish Iftikhar Mohd Rosli.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Athletics technical director Robert Ballard believes the Asian meet will serve as a vital platform for the 29-strong national squad.

“This is more than just another competition. It’s part of our build-up to the SEA Games, and a chance to test ourselves against some of the best in the region,” said Ballard.

With athletes from more than 45 countries taking part, Ballard views the event as a mini Asian Games - both in terms of scale and significance.

“We’re not just going there to make up the numbers. We want our athletes to push for semi-finals and finals, and ideally hit season-best or personal-best performances.”

Malaysia’s medal hopes rest on key names like discus thrower Irfan Shamsuddin, a bronze medallist at the last Asian Championships and still ranked among Asia’s top four, and 400m ace Shereen Samson Vallabouy.

“Shereen is a proven talent. She’s had a good block of preparation and we’re eager to see how she performs,” said Ballard.