Khairul Hafiz Becomes Asian Junior Champion

Malaysia's Khairul Hafiz Jantan clinched the gold medal of century dash and became the fastest man of the 17th ASIAN Junior Championships at Ho Chi Minh (4 June).

Despite running on wet track surface from the heavy rain, he was able to set a new personal best time of 10.36, defeated athletes who have ran faster than him including Saudia Arabia's Abdullah Akbar whose best time is 10.04 from the recent Mt SAC Relays in Walnut, USA that is currently number 1 or the fastest on the World and Asian junior rankings.

The 17-year-old World Youths representative recorded the fastest time over the semifinal races with 10.44, that was 0.03 off from his previous personal record from the Philippine national games at Pasig in March this year.

Japan's Ippei Takeda and Kenta Oshima finished in second and 4th with 10.41 and 10.50, respectively, while the pre-race favorite and Asian Junior record holder Abdullah Abkar third in 10.45.

Malaysia's Badrul Hisyam Abdul Manap whose best record is 10.34 came 5th in 10.54.

Shortly, Khairul (anchor) and Badrul teamed up with Asnawi Hashim (1st runner) and Haiqal Hanafi (3rd runner) to win the 4x100m heats with a fast time of 39.94 ahead of Chinese Taipei (40.05) in second. This is the team's only second fastest time after the 39.86 national junior record they set last year during ASEAN Schools.

Both Khairul and Badrul and also Asnawi and Haiqal are based in Bandar Penawar under the supervision of sprint coach Poad Kassim.

Khairul (and Badrul) will take part the 200m in the following day and is expected to run sub 21s, and possibly breaking the 48-year-old national record (20.92) held from M.Jegathesan from the 1968 Olympics. His fastest time over 200m, 21.14 was also recorded during the Philippine nationals, where he ran against a strong wind of -1.4m/s.

For a record, his achievement gives the country the first Asian Junior gold medal for men's category in the 30 years history of the U20 event.

In the previous edition (2014), Siti Nur Afiqah won the women's 400m final, the first gold since the very first one won by a Malaysian in 2004 by Siti Fauziah Razak in women's 200m.

Results 

Latest World and Asian continental rankings of U20 men's 100m

2016 WORLD U20 Ranking lists (at 4 Jun)
10.04 Abdullah Akbar (KSA)
10.16 Nigel Ellis (JAM)
10.17 Noah Lyles (USA)
10.19 Retshidisitswe Mlenga (RSA)
10.20 Brian Kasinda (ZIM)
10.21 Tlotliso Gift Leotlela (RSA)
10.22 Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (JPN)
10.24 Lehlogonolo Septokele (RSA)
10.24 Filippo Tortu (ITA)
10.25 Jhevaug Matherson (JAM)
10.25 Raheem Chambers (JAM)

2016 ASIAN U20 Ranking lists (at 4 Jun)
10.04 Abdullah Akbar (KSA)
10.22 Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (JPN)
10.27 Ippei Takeda (JPN)
10.34 Badrul Hisyam Abdul Manap (MAS)
10.36 Khairul Hafiz Jantan (MAS)

Results comparison of U20 men's 100m

IAAF WORLD Junior Championships
10.21 Kendal Williams (USA) - 18y
10.28 Trayvon Bromell (USA) - 19y
10.34 Yoshihide Kiryu (JPN) - 18y

ASIAN Championships
10.36 Khairul Hafiz Jantan (MAS) - 17y

AFRICAN Championships
10.44 Divine Oduduru (NGR) - 18y

OCEANIA Championships
10.65 Nicholas Bate (AUS) - 19y

EUROPEAN Championships
10.36 Ojie Edoburun (GBR) - 19y

SOUTH AMERICAN Championships
10.29 Vitor Hugo dos Santos (BRA) - 19y

PAN AMERICAN Championships
10.17 Reynier Mena (CUB) - 18y

*Data from latest edition of each championship, with the age of athlete when he won the title.
*The 2016 WORLD U20 Championships will take place in Bydgoszcz, Poland on 19-24 July.