MA hire South African Matebedi as national sprint coach

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s sprinters will be speeding up the South African way after Thabo Matebedi (pic) was appointed the national sprint head coach.

Malaysia Athletics (MA), together with the National Sports Council (NSC), decided on Matebedi after reviewing the applications and curriculum vitae (CVs) of four candidates including three from Botswana, Poland and Jamaica.

The appointment is aimed at strengthening the national sprint squad’s preparations ahead of several major championships, including the 2026 Asian Games and the 2027 SEA Games.

Matebedi is regarded as one of South Africa’s top sprint coaches and holds a World Athletics (WA) Level 3 Elite Coach qualification.

“He boasts an impressive track record in developing world-class sprinters, including South African 100m champion Sinesipho Dambile, Bayanda Walaza, and Mukona Manavhela, the African Under-18 100m and 200m champion,” said a statement from MA.

“He has also previously coached Gift Leotlela, who clocked 9.87 seconds to finish fifth in the 100m final at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.”

Matebedi is expected to arrive in Malaysia early next month, once visa and work permit matters are finalised.

He will then be given time to formulate a development and training programme for the national sprinters.

Matebadi is expected the monitor the progress of sprinters like Mohd Azeem Fahmi and Danish Iftikhar Mohd Roslee, who have their own coaches. He will also train the likes of Jonathan Nyepa, Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam and others.