SUKMA: Young Sprinters Shows Blistering Performances

The men’s 100m semifinals ran last night was the best I’ve seen in the Malaysian Games history with at least 14 young sprinters ran sub 11-second. Not only that,
6 final-qualifiers set their lifetime bests in the blue riband event.

More interesting, eight-fastest times and the finalists have dipped below 10.80 whereas two medal prospects, Ambrose Jilom and Daniel Azwan failed to advance to the final.

Mohd. Azhar Ismail, Eddie Edwards and Harith Ammar set the top-three fastest times in the semifinals with 10.70, 10.72 and 10.75 respectively. Three of them have also set their new personal best times.

Running in the heat 2, Mohd Azhar eclipsed his old mark by one hundredth of a second where he set in Kedah Open last month while Eddie Edwards lowers his previous mark 10.78 where he did in Manila to 10.72. The 15-year-old Harith Ammar showing sign to be a successful sprinter in future edged his personal best 10.84 to 10.75.

Despite placed second behind Eddie in heat 3, Syed Aliff Mohd Noh was safely to the final by recording 10.76. Yet, the Malaysian Mini-Olympic champion had a lifetime best of 10.61 and is the one to watch in the final.

Meanwhile, SEA Games champion, Rayzamshah Sofian of Sabah wins the heat 1 in 10.77, the fifth fastest time to the final. Rayzam is more likely to win his favorite 110mh but has a huge chance to win gold if he at least able to match his best time 10.57 in the final.

Malacca’s Schzuan Rosli placed second behind Rayzam, surged off the block and took the lead until the last metres then recorded a new personal best time of 10.78.

Newcomer Hisham Alias have booked his final slot when he ran 10.79, also a new personal best by two-tenth of a second improvement.

The last finalist was Zabidi Ahmad, a former Malaysian Junior Champion, also a World Juniors representative. Zabidi who was fourth at the last SUKMA in 2008 clocked 10.80, and also a new personal best.

Unfortunately, Ambrose Jilom, who is coached by the national record holder, Watson Nyambek, did not advance to final after he ranked ninth at overall. Ambrose placed fourth in his semifinal with 10.81, way off his best time 10.71 he set less than a month ago at the Malaysian Schools Meet.

SEA Games representative, Daniel Azwan was eliminated after clocked a time of 10.82s. Ironically, the time was exactly the same when he won bronze medal at the last SUKMA.

All in all, Malaysia has a bunch of young-talented sprinters which is in fact much more than what other ASEAN countries has. Tonight is the 100m finals, come to Hang Jebat stadium and cheers for them. I'm ready!

Semifinals Results:
MEN.
Heat 1:
1, Rayzamshah, 10.77 . 2, Schzuan Rosli 10.78. 3, S. Kannan, 10.87. 4, Ariff Naim, 10.91. 5, Ronnie Simon, 11.10. 6, Arif Syakirin, 11.58.

Heat 3:
1, Mohd Azhar, 10.70. 2, Harith Ammar, 10.75. 3, Hisyam Alias, 10.79. 4, Daniel Azwan, 10.82. 5, Cyrus Krishnan, 10.89. 6, Mohd Shahmimi 10.99. 7, Alif Husni, 11.04.

Heat 3:
1, Eddie Edwards, 10.72. 2, Syed Aliff, 10.76. 3, Zabidi Ahmad, 10.80. 4, Ambrose Jilom, 10.81. 5, Mohammad Aminuddin, 11.16. 6, Isbollah Harun, 14.95. 7, Hidayatullah, DNF.


WOMEN
Heat 1:
1, Komalam Shally, 12.20. 2, Cynthia Manghing, 12.46. 3, Lee Jia Qin, 12.50. 4, Zaidatul Husnia, 12.62. 5, Hazwani, 12.63. 6, Azmar Azlin, 12.91. 7, Siti Norbainun, 13.14. 8, Nuridah Awang, 13.46.

Heat 2:
1, Nurul Sarah, 12.00. 2, Siti Nurhayati, 12.34. 3, Zaidatul Husna, 12.36. 4, Chiew Hui Lian, 12.42. 5, Jarmeela Washif, 12.84. 6, Amirah Aida, 12.97. 7, Nurhaslinda Md. , 13.09. 8, Nor Atikah, 13.09.