Azeem and relay quartet set sights on Asian Games record assault

Closing in: (clockwise) Mohd Azeem Fahmi (top right), Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam, Danish Iftikhar Mohd Roslee and Armin Zahryl Abdul Latif were just 0.13s shy of the national record. – MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Sprinter Mohd Azeem Fahmi left the recent Malaysian Open with two gold medals and a burning ambition to shatter the national 4x100m relay record at the Asian Games in Japan in September.

The 22-year-old anchored a strong showing at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Stadium in Serdang last week, winning the men’s 100m before teaming up with Danish Iftikhar Mohd Roslee, Armin Zahryl Abdul Latif and Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam to claim a double in relay.

But it was how close the quartet came to history that has Azeem most energised heading into the next phase of the season.

The foursome clocked 39.16s in the men’s 4x100m relay final, just 0.13s shy of the national record of 39.03s, set at last year’s SEA Games in Thailand.

Danish and Pengiran were part of the record-setting squad, alongside Jonathan Nyepa and Aliff Iman Fahimi, while Azeem and Armin are now pushing their way into the equation.

“Before the Malaysian Open, we only trained once, but the time we did was close to the record time, so it shows we have what it takes to break it,” said Azeem, who ran the first leg in the relay final.

“This quartet and the others will train together often now, and we hope to go for it at the Asian Games. That would be the plan, and we will work on it.”

Azeem had earlier underlined his status as the country’s premier sprinter by posting 10.21s to win the men’s 100m final.

The result was further validation for Azeem, who relocated to the United States in January 2023 to pursue studies in exercise physiology and kinesiology at Auburn University, where he trained under coach Ken Harnden, before returning home recently.