Sprint star Khairul keeping it real ahead of SEA Games

PETALING JAYA: For years, Khairul Hafiz Jantan has been one of the main faces in Malaysian sprinting.

Since breaking the national 100m record with a time of 10.18s in 2016, Khairul, who was once dubbed “Speedy Jantan”, has been the one to chase.

But with the SEA Games in Thailand just around the corner, the 27-year-old is striking a rare note of honesty about his chances of making the 4x100m relay squad.

“Even with my status, I’m not sure,” he admitted.

“I hope to be in the team, but I do not want to get in because of my past results and who I know.

“My form is not the best right now. I only started training four weeks ago. No pressure for me as I know where I stand.”

It is a refreshing admission in a sport where athletes often fight tooth and nail for selection.

Khairul is still recovering from the hamstring injury that disrupted his campaign at the Asian Track and Field (ATF) Championships in Gumi, South Korea, in May.

His season-best of 10.55s came before the setback, and he knows he is not yet fully race-ready.

But rather than clinging desperately to his spot, he is looking at the bigger picture.

“I just want to help Malaysia get a medal, but if I am not picked, it’s okay as we also need to focus on the future generation,” he said.

At the recent Malaysian Open on Sunday, the quartet of Khairul, Jonathan Nyepa, Danish Iftikhar Mohd Roslee, and Pengiran Aidil Auf Rosli won gold with a time of 39.68s in the 4x100m.

At the last SEA Games in Cambodia, Jonathan, Khairul, Mohd Eizlan Dahalan and Mohd Arsyad Md Saat bagged bronze with 39.36s.

Two years earlier in Vietnam, the relay team anchored by Mohd Azeem Fahmi stunned the region by setting the new national record with a time of 39.09s en route to claiming silver.