Brave Sabah's Sprinters

Jad Adrian 2nd from right with the Australian
cup champion, Matt Davies at his left

The men's 100m Ist round of the 88th Australian Open Athletics Championship ran last night (16th April 2010) was probably the best I've seen of our two Sabah boys who as underdogs ran bravely against a world class field of Australians, naturalised australian from Nigeria Anthony Alozie and a lone Japanese Sakuma Kato.

The boys were never afraid and were enjoying every minute of their involvement in this championship knowing very well that they intend to run fast times against fast guys on the new Western Australia Athletics Stadium at Mount Claremont, a suburb outside Perth.

Although the times of Jad Adrian Washif (11.06s) and Eddie Edward Jr. (11.01s) season best, may not seem so attractive, thay are indeed run under very difficult conditions especially the weather which was 16 degrees celcius and rather cold. "I did not sweat during the warm up but I know this competition is very good for me" said Eddie and more like this is what I want he added.

According to Jad Adrian who ran 10.89s this year, "running against world class guys will help me to perform better when I compete in the Asian Universities Games later this year". We learn so much, we are still young and Australia is a place to compete".

Being brave enough to run against fast world class guys is not the only thing but they are also brave enough to come here with little funds, staying at Backpackers lodge in Northbridge, North Perth and eating protein bars to gain strength. One setback for our Asian athletes is the problem of poverty and lack of support from the authorities. But the "GO FOR GOLD" motto in this year's SUKMA is something that I want said Eddie.

This year's Australian athletics championship is also a selection trials for Australian athletes who wish to qualify for Delhi 2010, the Commonwealth Games in the Indian capital.

SABAH'S BORNEO POST

click here for full results

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2010 Malaysian University Athletics Championship (MASUM) - HIGHLIGHTS

Jad Adrian of UPM had a night to remember after he retained his gold medal in the men's 100 final of the Malaysian university championship.

He clocked a time of 10.94s, ahead of SEA Games representatives, Zabidi Ghazali (10.94s) and Latif Nyat (10.99s) in a race against a slight breeze (-0.5 m/s).

UPM’s Karthik Jayamaran was in a great form heading the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) as he surpassed the ASEAN University Record (AUG) of  35:28.67s in the 10,000m with a time of 34:15.10s.

Karthik returned to track for the 5000m and clocked a meet record in 15:45.84s, which was only 14s away from the AUG record. He was then selected as the best male athlete of the championship.

Zaiful Zainal Abidin of UPM, the national 400m record holder displayed dominance and winning the event at 49.48s. He added another gold in the relays 4x400m. He also secured silver in the 200m, clocking 22.64s. UPSI’s Izuddin Yahaya won it at the end in 22.48.

Meanwhile UPM’s Yunus Lasaleh registered a personal best and finished first in the 800m in 1:57.14s.

One of the best days of the championship performances was from UPM’s Adi Alifuddin. Freshly from Tehran's Asian Athletics Championship in Teheran, he threw 16.20m in the shot put to eclipse the ASEAN university record which has stood at 16.03m.

Ahmad Firdaus Salim of UPM has successfully defended his title in both men’s Long and Triple jump. Firdaus leaped 6.80m in the Long Jump, 4cm further than his fellow Alzanizam (6.76m) but won comfortably in the triple jump, leaping a distance of 14.70m. The winning distance was nearly a metre from the silver medal winner.

Another record-breaking in jumps was in the men’s high jump. UPM’s Najwan Aqra bettered the old height of 1.95m with a 2.02m. However, he attempted to rewrite the AUG record of 2.10m but not successful.

UITM’s Azizi Fauzi and Muhammad Hazwan have given their bests in the men’s 10,000 and 400m hurdles respectively.

Azizi in his first appearance in the meet has timed 54.40.9s to claim his first gold medal while Hazwan posted 55.40s in the 400m hurdles to win gold.


In the women section, Norjannah Jamaluddin grabbed three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m.

The 23-year-old currently fastest female sprinter clocked 12.36s in the 100m to win easily, then in the 200m with 26.29s. She then teamed up for the 4x100m relay and took gold. Her 4x400m team finished in 3rd.

Nurul Fazila Rahman of UPM claimed two Gold in the middle distances. Her first gold came from the 800m (2:38.31s) on the first day. She then clocked a new championship record in the 1500m at 5:29.49s. She added bronze from the 4x400m.

UiTM’s Nurul Huda Adul Akhir had a massive winning over the women’s javelin throw. She won in by nearly 15 meters with a distance of 42.12m. It also approximately 9m further than the AUG record. Her effort is getting close to the 2011 SEA Games qualifying mark of 45.95m.

Meanwhile, UPM’s Siti Nurul Ain clinched gold in the women’s shot put with a championship new record of 12.43m. Silver went to Rahilah of UiTM with 12.05m effort while UMS’s Asong Joseph threw 9.58m for bronze.

Next, UPM’s Siti Zubaidah Adabi was the highlight in the third day morning in the long jump final. The distance of 5.40m gave her a solid win but it was just 3cm less from the meet record. Siver and Bronze went to UTHM’s Shasha Nizam (5.13) and UiTM’s Nurrusliza Shukor (4.85m).

Noor Amira Nafiah of UPM eclipsed the championship record in the women’s Triple Jump. The SEA Games representative boosted her confidence heading to the SUKMA by posting 11.84m to win the gold medal in her first meet of this season.

All in all, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) topped the medal table with 22 gold, 26 silver and 6 bronze medals, ahead of University Technology Mara (UiTM) with 8-8-5 and University Education of Sultan Idris (UPSI) in the third overall with a haul 3-7-3.

For full results click HERE
For photos click HERE

Photo credit: Ahmad A-Fai

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Keep Motivated with Sports Quotations

I've collected the best sports quotation and put them on here so they can be applied to athletes to keep motivated with a strong determination and endeavour to reach their dream. Enjoy my selection...

1. “Pain is temporary, pride is forever”

2. “Winning as a team is better than anything. It's great to share success”

3. “Gold medals don't make champions ... hard work does”

4. “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying”

5. “Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to produce uncommon results”

6. “Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly”

7. “It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up”

8. “Every runner has excuses, but a champion never uses them”

9. “The pride you gain is worth the pain”

10. “The only one who can tell you 'you can't ' is you. And you don't have to listen”

11. “You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims”

12. “The 400m meters, only the strong survive”

13. "When you win, say nothing, when you lose, say less”

14. "If you win through bad sportsmanship, that's no real victory”

15. “I don't try to intimidate anybody before a fight. That's nonsense. I intimidate people by hitting them”

16. “To give yourself the best possible chance of playing to your potential, you must prepare for every eventuality. That means practice”

17. “It is not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters”

18. “The man who has no imagination has no wings”

19. “Some people say I have attitude ... maybe I do ... but I think you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does ... that makes you a winner right there”

20. “Don't give up at half-time. Concentrate on winning the second half”

21. “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination”

22. “The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it”

23. “Champions keep playing until they get it right”

24. “Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them ... a desire, a dream, a vision”

25. “There is no room in your mind for negative thoughts”

26. “If you want to limit yourself, that’s fine. But don’t let other people do it for you”

27. “Whenever you get knocked down in the game of life, immediately get up, get better, and get going again”

28. “If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race it's up to you”

29. “I've always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying ... I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win”

30. “Your greatest competitor in a race, is yourself”

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