PETALING JAYA: With his blistering speed and obvious potential, it would be easy to assume that sprint coaches are lining up to work with Danish Iftikhar Mohd Roslee.
Instead, the Johor-born teenager has chosen to stay with his current path, one built alongside his parents.
The 18-year-old Danish has been training under the guidance of his father, Mohd Roslee Ismail, who he fondly calls “Sir”, with strong support from his mother, Rohaida Razi, since he was nine years old.
The family-based set-up has been the backbone of his rise in Malaysian sprinting.
“I’ve been training with my dad since I was nine, and my mum has helped me throughout this journey. Both of them are my backbone in this sport,” said Danish.
The trio train mostly around their home and at Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan, using simple equipment.
Once a week, they head to Mount Austin for track sessions, a modest programme that has delivered remarkable results.
Danish believes the arrangement allows his parents to balance their careers while continuing to guide his development effectively.
“I would love for things to continue this way. They have their jobs, but at the same time they can train me well.
“I believe in them, and with discipline and dedication, I hope to become one of the top-tier sprinters,” he said.
The proof of progress came at the recent SEA Games in Thailand, where Danish clocked 20.73 seconds in the 200m to finish third.
The time earned him his second SEA Games bronze medal and saw him shatter the national record.
The previous mark of 20.77s had stood since 2019, set by Russel Alexander Nasir Taib at the Queensland Track Classic.
Danish also claimed bronze in the 100m in what turned out to be one of the fastest races in SEA Games history.
He finished in 10.26s, narrowly behind Indonesia’s Lalu Mohd Zohri (10.25s), while Thailand’s Puripol Boonson stormed to gold in a stunning 10.00s.
However, the real shock came earlier in the heats, when Danish stunned the field and himself by blazing to a personal-best 10.18s to win his race.
After a demanding season, Danish made the most of the off-season to recover physically and mentally.
“It was a good off-season for me because I could rest after a long period of training,” he said.
“I focused on maintaining my fitness through activities like kayaking, jogging and bowling. The 2025 season taught me a lot and challenged me in many ways, and I’m very grateful for that.”
Looking ahead, Danish and his parents have set their sights firmly on the Under-20 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon from Aug 5-9 as their major goal.
The plan is to peak at the right time, starting next week, followed by races after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
For this year, Danish is targeting times of under 10.20s in the 100m and under 20.90s in the 200m, with consistency being his main focus.
“I want to compete in big competitions to gain experience. Most importantly,
“I want my performances to be consistent.”
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