Azeem and Co hoping to make history with NCAA hattrick

PETALING JAYA: National sprinter Mohd Azeem Fahmi (pic) and his Auburn University teammates are aiming high to defend their NCAA Championship title in the 4x100m relay event when the final meet starts today in Oregon.

The 22-year-old will be making his final outing at the NCAA meet with Auburn in the 4x100m relay, alongside Kayinsola Ajayi, Austin Kresley, and Tyler Davis.

Azeem and Ajayi were part of the team that won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 and will be aiming to be the first team to get a three-peat since Louisiana State University in the 90s.

“Last one, best one,” Azeem briefly said on social media.

It will also be Azeem’s first time running the 100m event at the championships since joining Auburn in 2023. He equalled his national record of 10.09s in the preliminary rounds in Kentucky last week.

It was the same time Azeem clocked during the World Junior Championships in Cali, Colombia, four years ago.

Azeem will run in the 100m heats alongside teammates Israel Okon and Davis.

Meanwhile, Auburn coach Leroy Burrell said the team are ready to get going once again at the championships.

“We’re just really excited. The team have worked hard all year and I’m really looking forward once again to see how we fare on the national stage,” he said.

After his final NCAA outing, Azeem will head home to compete in the Malaysian Open, which starts next Friday at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).