PETALING JAYA: National sprinter Mohd Azeem Fahmi final season with Auburn University ended in the cruellest fashion at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Oregon on Friday after poor baton pass.
The team’s medal hopes in the 4x100m relay final were wrecked by a dropped baton between the third and fourth runners.
Azeem, who ran the opening leg, refused to point fingers.
"It’s a team event, so I couldn’t really blame anyone... I believe every single one of us gave everything that we have," he said.
"The last four years have been with the best coaches and teammates in the world.
"I hope our youngsters will get to compete in the NCAA as it's a world class platform."
Azeem and his teammates, Kayinsola Ajayi, Austin Kresley and Tyler Davis had produced a stunning 37.75s to smash the NCAA Division One collegiate record of 37.90s, set by LSU in May 2023 during the semi-finals before the final blunder.
Earlier, Azeem had failed to progress beyond the 100m heats, clocking 10.21s for 17th overall out of 23 sprinters.
With his NCAA chapter now closed, Azeem will now compete in the Malaysian Open at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Serdang starting on Friday.
"My focus after this will be 100 percent national duty," said Azeem.
He will keep working remotely with his Auburn coach, Ken Harnden, while linking up with his coach in Malaysia, Amir Izwan Tan Abdullah, for on-ground training in Malaysia.
