Wei Hao Lun, 14, Runs 100m in 10.65 and 200m in 21.49

It appears that much of the focus during the 2019 National Middle School Games in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei was Wei Hao Lun who was relatively unknown and new to the world of sprinting.

This is because he was born on 15 May 2004 and still 14.

He ran a blistering 10.65s (+0.6) in the 100m on 22 April 2019 and then 21.49s in the 200m three days later.

It seems like not so many people can run these times at the age of 14 or even 15, in fact, 16! I wrote a post earlier that "to be in the top lists (i.e. World fastest boys), an athlete has to run, on average 10.5-10.6 for the 100m dash, or 21.3-21.6 for the 200m event."

Wei Hao-Lun ran 10.65 in 100m and 21.49 in 200m

The 5'7" Hao-Lun had previously come close to running sub-10.70s in March by clocking 10.70s (+2.0). He is consistent at running 10.7 so far.

Earlier in February, he has posted two sub-10.80s of 10.78 and 10.77 during a track meeting in Kaohsiung.

He added another two (10.73 and 10.77) during the heats in this School Games.

For a record, he ran his 2018 fastest time of 10.95 in November last year.

Chinese Taipei has a good track record in sprinting including some of the world best performances.

Yang Chun-han, for example, is the defending champion of the World University Games at 100m. He was the Asian champion at 200m and more recently a silver medalist (200m) of the Jakarta Asian Games. He has personal records of 10.11 and 20.23 in the 100m and 200m, respectively.

Chi Cheng had seven World records from the 100 yards, 100 meters, 200 meters, 220 yards, 100m hurdles, and between 1964 to 1970, she set a total of 44 Asian records.

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Who Are the Fastest Boys in the World?

Apart from the medals won, there has to be a certain standard or reference whereby people can easily determine how good (or bad) you are.

For example, the current standard for the men's 100m to be in the 2020 Olympic Games is 10.05, and to be a Top 100 of the World at present, you must run at least 10.15, and 10.25 for Top 200.

This can be clearly determined in track and field events, especially for senior levels. This is however difficult for the younger age-group performance - lack of info out there.

The current world absolute age-13 best of 10.85 is held by Darrel Brown of Trinidad and Tobago. Brown achieved his lifetime best 8 years later in 9.99, almost a full second difference. Australian James Gallaugher holds the world age-13 best for the 200m in 21.73.

The world age-14 best is held by Jamaica's Sachin Dennis with a time of 10.51. Darrel Brown held the world age-14 best for 200m (21.20) for almost 2 decades, before it was broken by Dennis (20.89) in 2017. Malaysia's Muhammad Azeem Fahmi (14 years and 360 days) came very near to the mark set by Brown when he ran 21.24 earlier this week during the Malaysian schools meeting at Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia.

Sachin Dennis(Jamaica), Azeem Fahmi (Malaysia), and Wei Hao Lun (Chinese Taipei) are among the young athletes who achieved supreme performance at young ages

Sachin Dennis also holds the world age-15 best in the 100m in 10.20. About a year ago, American Anthony Schwartz sets world age-16 best of 10.15.

The big man Usain Bolt holds the world age-15 best in the 200m in 20.58. He also holds the world age-16 best in 20.13 that is also the official world U18 record as accepted by the governing body, while Japan's Yoshihide Kiryu holds 100m record for world U18 in 10.01.

Azeem Fahmi runs 10.63 to win class 2 (under 15) in Malaysian schools championship

The American record for boys 13-14 age-group (under 15) is held by Bryce Love in a time of 10.73 while the 200m is 21.77 by Ashton Allen.

Of interest, I have compiled a series of annual age-group top lists for the male under 16 for the 100m and 200m to identify what is required to be the best in the world for this particular age-group (under 16) and events.

The term age-group needs to be understood carefully as it can be absolute or relative. Age-group in athletics refers to the standard set by the governing body for athletics, as stated in the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) competition rules, that is "XX" years old on 31 December in the year of the competition (i.e. relative age).

The holders of world age-group best above are based on absolute age (i.e. actual age). However, I have compiled the top lists based on the IAAF standard for competitions and records.

The fastest boys in the world from 2016 to 2019 (relative age; age at 31 December of Year) are as listed:

2016 - World Under 16
100m
10.59 ... Dominik Illovszky (HUN) born. 4 Jan 2002 (14y)
10.68 ... Khafre Brown (USA) born. 29 May 2001 (15y)
10.68 ... Justin Tsukamoto (JPN) born. 22 Mar 2001 (15y)
10.71 ... Javon Williams (TTO) born. 2001 (15y)
10.75 ... Edward Osei Nketia (NZL) born, 8 May 2011 (15y)

200m
21.32 ... Khafre Brown (USA) born. 29 May 2001 (15y)
21.70 ... Roshaun Rowe (JAM) born. 23 September 2002 (14y)
21.70 ... Jayson Weber (RSA) born. 1 Jan 2001 (15y)
21.71 ... Andrew Brown (USA) born. 2003 (13y)
21.77 ... Ashton Allen (USA) born. 25 Mar 2002 (14y)

2017 - World Under 16
100m
10.51 ... Sachin Dennis (JAM) born. 2 August 2002 (15y)
10.71 ... Avindale Smith (TTO) born. 23 January 2002 (15y)
10.71 ... Darian Clarke (BAR) born. 5 March 2002 (15y)
10.73 ... Raphael Bouju (NED) born.  15 May 2002 (15y)
10.77 ... Enrico Sancin (ITA) born. 5 March 2002 (15y)

200m
20.89 ... Sachin Dennis (JAM) born. 2 August 2002 (15y)
21.23 ... Ashton Allen (USA) born. 25 March 2002 (15y)
21.24 ... Avindale Smith (TTO) born. 23 January 2002 (15y)
21.29 ... Marcellus Moore (USA) born. 30 Jun 2002 (15y)
21.44 ... Darian Clarke (BAR) born. 5 March 2002 (15y)
21.45 ... Sasha Zhoya (FRA) born. 25 June 2002 (15y)
21.52 ... Dominic Ogbechie (GBR) born. 15 May 2002 (15y)

2018 - World Under 16
100m
10.37 ... Terrique Stennett (JAM) born 3 January 2003 (15y)
10.68 ... Brune Godson (NGR) born. 2003 (15y)
10.72 ... Alexander  Nunley (USA) born. 9 September 2003 (15y)
10.78 ... Muhammad Azeem Fahmi (MAS) born 29 April 2004 (14y)
10.81 ... Adrian Kerr (JAM) born. 2003 (15y)

200m
21.69 ... Adrian Kerr (JAM) born. 2003 (15y)
21.74 ... Bouwahghi Nkrumie (JAM) born. 16 February 2004 (14y)
21.78 ... Shakeem McKay (TT0) born. 2003 (15y)
21.89 ... Muhammad Azeem Fahmi (MAS) born. 29 April 2004 (14y)

2019 - World Under 16*
100m
10.54 ... Bouwahghi Nkrumie (JAM) born. 16 February 2004 (15y)
10.63 ... Muhammad Azeem Fahmi (MAS) born. 29 April 2004 (15y)
10.69 ... Christopher Scott (JAM) born. 2004 (15y)
10.70 ... Wei Hao Lun (TPE) born. 2004

200m
21.24 ... Muhammad Azeem Fahmi (MAS) born. 29 April 2004 (15y)
21.56 ... Wei Hao Lun (TPE) born. 2004
21.70 ... Christopher Scott (JAM) born. 2004
21.77 ... Alicke Cranston (JAM) born. 6 May 2004 (15y)
21.83 ... Dalan Oliphant (RSA) born. 3 July 2004 (15y)

Sachin Dennis runs 10.20 at 100m a new world age-15 best

From the lists above, it could tell well that in order to be in the top lists (i.e. World fastest boys), an athlete has to run, on average 10.5-10.6 for the 100m dash, or 21.3-21.6 for the 200m event.

This information may not be as crucial as the appropriate development of young performers to be super-elite athletes but may be important to identify the "gold and diamond" (super talents) for appropriate talent management. There is no guarantee that talented teens will easily transition to become great athletes.


*Information as of 28 April 2019 (only regular performance).

Acknowledgments: ATFS, IAAF, Asian AA, Tilastopaja, D.Eisold

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Jonathan Nyepa runs 20.92 in 200m for a new persona best

Flash Report ___Malaysia's Jonathan Nyepa clocked a season-best 10.42 (+1.1) in the 100m to win the Torrin Lawrence Memorial meeting today (27 April / USA) at the University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA.

Maurice Simpson came second in 10.46, while Darius Turner in third (10.73).

Four weeks ago, he ran a wind-aided time of 10.42 (+2.6) at Gainesville, Florida.

Jonathan has a PB of 10.28 from the 2017 South Korean open, which is faster than Watson Nyambek's former national record (10.30).

He sits on second in Malaysia's All-Time lists behind Khairul Hafiz Jantan (10.18).

Earlier, Jonathan set a lifetime best of 20.92 (+1.9) in the men's 200m, beating his previous best by 0.18s.

He finished in second place behind Elija Goodwin (20.59).

A 20.92 timing would have been a national record, equalling M.Jegathesan's record from 1968 had he record it earlier before it was broken by Khairul Hafiz Jantan (with 20.90) in July 2017.

He moved up to 3rd on Malaysia All-Time lists behind Russel Taib (20.77), Khairul Hafiz Jantan (20.90) and tied with M. Jegathesan for the third-ranking at 20.92.

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Azeem Fahmi Sets New 200m Record of 21.24s

Azeem Fahmi has set another record during the Malaysian schools championships in Iskandar Puteri, Johor today (24 April 2019).

The 15-year old clocked an impressive time of 21.24s during the 200m final to easily bag the gold medal and rewrite his own meeting record of 21.89s that he set last year when he was just 14.

Earlier, he earned two gold medals and new records from the 100m dash (10.63s) and long jump (6.89).

The question would be how fast is 21.24 in 200m? simply say, a 21.24s clocking would win a medal in most of the national open competitions (e.g. Malaysia, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, South Korea...) at senior levels.

Based on the last IAAF World Youth championships (under 18y), Azeem would have been among the top four positions in the 200m and top three in the 100m.

Sabah's 13-year-old Jad Rizalman Washif came second in 22.66, while Sarawak's Audray Hilla third in 22.71.

His 200m performance put him among the best in relation to the Malaysian all-time best performance.

Malaysian All-Time Lists (as at April 2019)
By Jad Adrian (ATFS)

20.77 ... Russel Alexander Nasir Taib 2019 (age 21y)
20.90 ... Khairul Hafiz Jantan 2017 (19y)
20.92 ... M. Jegathesan 1968 (25y)
20.97 ... Azmi Ibrahim 2001 (25y)
21.01 ... Muhammad Aqil Yasmin 2018 (21y)
21.04 ... Aravinthevar Gunasegaran 2016 (23y)
21.10 ... Jonathan Nyepa 2018 (22y)
21.14 ... R. Ganeshwaran 1999 (21y)
21.20 ... Watson Nyembek 1995
21.20 ... Mohd Izzuddin Yahya 2015 (28y)
21.22 ... Rabuan Pit 1981 (25y)
21.24 ... Badrul Hisyam Abdul Manap 2016 (21y)
21.24 ... Abdul Wafiy Roslan 2018 (19y)
21.24 ... MUHAMMAD AZEEM MOHD FAHMI 2019 (15y)
21.26 ... Mohd Haiqal Hanafi 2018 (19y)
21.27 ... Nazmizan Muhammad 2003 (22y)

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Azeem Fahmi Clocks 10.63s in 100m

Muhammad Azeem Fahmi unleashes storming 100m performance by clocking a time of 10.63s to win the Malaysian school championships in Iskandar Puteri, Johor today (21 April).

He ran against a strong headwind of -1.8 m/s. This would have been around 10.54 under 0.0 m/s condition. Given +1.8 tailwinds his time would be translated to 10.45!.

The 15-year-old Perakian powered forward at the start, seizing control of the race after just a few metres, and then pulls away from the field in the midway.

He renewed his own championship record in the process.

Azeem sent a strong message during semifinals by "jogging" to a new championship record of 10.72, breaking his own record of 10.87 that he set during the last edition. He was 14 back then.

His 10.63 performance in the national school meeting would have won a medal in the last edition of IAAF World youth championships.

Sabah's Hanssen Yap was in second (11.15) while Sarawak's Audray Hilla third in 11.17.

Personal Details

Name: Muhammad Azeem bin Mohd Fahmi
Date of birth: 29 April 2004
Hometown: Teluk Intan, Perak
Coach: Muhammad Amir Izwan
Development: State sports school of Perak
Training ground: Gunung Rapat, Ipoh

Progress in sprint events
2019 - 15 years
100m 10.63
200m 21.24

2018 - 14 years
100m 10.78 / 10.5h
200m 21.70

2017 - 13 years
100m 11.23

2016 - 12 years
100m 12.76

Azeem's achievements (as of today) *updated 25 April

2019
National Schools (MSSM Championships), Iskandar Puteri
100m - Gold medal (10.63s)
200m - Gold medal (21.24s)
Long Jump - Gold medal (6.93m)
4x400m - Gold medal (3:24.69)

Little Athletics, Perth, Australia
100m - Gold medal (10.84s)
200m - Gold medal (21.50s)

SEA Youth championship, Ilagan, Philippine
100m - Gold medal (10.69s)
200m - Gold medal (21.86s)

State Schools (Perak Schools Championships)
100m - Gold medal (10.4h)
200m - Gold medal (21.2h)
Long Jump - Gold medal (6.77m)

2018
National Schools (MSSM Championships), Shah Alam
100m - Gold medal (10.78s)
200m - Gold medal (21.70s)

State Schools (Perak Schools Championship)
100m - Gold medal (10.6h)
200m - Gold medal (21.9h)

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Best Performances of the Malaysia Open Grand Prix 2019

Team Malaysia wrapped up the 1st Malaysia Open Grand Prix with a haul of 8 GOLD, 15 SILVER, and 14 BRONZE, ahead of Kyrgyzstan (5-1-0), South Korea (4-6-4), and Chinese Taipei (4-4-4).

Irrespective of nationality, the best performance of the meet came from (no special order):
> Men's 100m - Lalu Muhammad Zohri (INA) 10.20
> Men’s 400mh – Chen Chieh (TPE) 49.77
> Men’s High Jump - Lee Hup Wei (MAS) 2.27m
> Men's long jump - Sapwaturrahman (INA) 7.97m
> Men’s shot put – Ivan Ivanov (KAZ) 19.53m
> Men's discus throw - Musab Momani (JOR) 56.16m
> Men’s hammer throw - Lee Ywunchul (KOR) 70.70m
> Women’s 100mh – Emilia Nova (INA) 13.59
> Women’s hammer throw – Park Seojin (KOR) 49.52m

Southeast Asian Best Performances (SEA Games GOLD standard)
> Men's 100m - Lalu Muhammad Zohri (INA) 10.20
> Men’s High Jump - Lee Hup Wei (MAS) 2.27m
> Men's long jump - Sapwaturrahman (INA) 7.97m
> Men’s hammer throw – Jackie Wong (MAS) 65.87m

Southeast Asian Best Performances (SEA Games MEDAL standard)
> Men’s 200m – Russel Taib (MAS) 21.12
> Men’s 400m - Luqmanul Hakim Khairul Akmal (MAS) 46.92
> Men’s long jump - Andre Anuar (MAS) 7.72m
> Men’s triple jump - Muhammad Hakimi Ismail (MAS) 16.16m
> Men’s discus throw - Abdul Rahman Lee (MAS) 50.03m

Download full results (Malaysia Open GP)

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How did a false start rule of 0.10s or 100 ms determined?

Disqualification often occurs in sprint events from a false start. Example, read here.  

For a false start offence, the IAAF has set a limit of 0.100s or 100 ms reaction. Meaning that, when an athlete register a time of 0.999s (99 ms) or less, he or she will be convicted of a false start offence, and disqualified.

How did they come up with such a rule?

Since 1991, the 100 ms limit was included in the IAAF rule book; decided during the IAAF Congress in 1989 at Barcelona.

There is a mechanism of human reaction time, or how the 100 ms becomes a threshold.

• When the starter pull the trigger, the time will start. Actually it takes approximately 5 ms to reach the ear.
• Then, the signal is processed within the cerebral cortex in the brain, and this stage alone takes approximately 50 ms.
• Subsequently, the signal is sent to the muscles via spinal cord. This process takes around 25 ms.
• In addition, there is a mechanical delay of approximately 10 ms, before the onset of force production.
• From there, the athlete start to produce force (to move). The force production itself will take time. 

Therefore, 5 + 50 + 25 + 10 + force production time will be approximately 100 ms. These durations are not exactly, may be more, may be less.

There is a level of force production that can be allowed, but if the force is excessively higher (before 100 ms), then the system register as false start. 

Currently, the threshold of force production that is allowed (before 100 ms) is relatively unclear. 

So there is also the possibility of committing a false start by just a "twitching" or "flinching" motion (eg, minor slip) on the block pedals.

It is important that if the gun is located 10m away from the athlete, there is a signal delay of 0.029s (29 ms) after firing the gun. This can be subsided by using a speaker placed on each blocks, which significantly reduces the delay, ie, only ~5 ms as noted above.

Scientific research

Scientists Mero and Komi studied human reaction in the early 1990s. They recruited 8 sprinters (PB ~10.76) to participate in their study. Interestingly, they found that different muscles (of the leg) produced different response time in response to a stimulus.

Human can actually react in less than 100 ms. The IAAF in 2009 confirmed this assertion. The IAAF published a report that scientists "found great variation in individual reaction times and confirmed previous reports of simple auditory reactions as fast as 80 ms."

The scientists then "recommend that the 100ms limit be lowered to 80 or 85ms"

The report also state that and "the IAAF urgently examines possibilities for detecting false starts kinematically, so that judges’ decisions are based on the first visible movement regardless of the body part."

The above can be done "with a system of high-speed cameras, which gives views of all the athletes on the start line."

More recently, scientists found that reaction time detected using a hand force plate occurred approximately 74 ms (Harrison et al., 2018).

Interestingly, a 0.086s reaction time made by Asafa Powell in the world championships in 2003, resulted in a disqualification.  

Thus, it is possible that human reaction time vary, possibly technology dependent, and cannot be confined by an arbitrary threshold (ie, 100 ms).

A good alternative of solution is therefore vital, so, the is a need for a false start (ie, 100 ms) rule changes. However, there is no easy way to handle this issue.

What can be done from here

• First, the 100 ms rule may be lowered to 80 or 85 ms. 
• Second, if the 100 ms threshold remains, athlete must be allowed to run under protest (if register a reaction time between 80/85ms to 99 ms), and only be investigated subsequently, thoroughly, including by scrutinizing the newly established high speed camera system to (see actual movement) determine if false start was committed or not.
• Third, any reaction between 991 to 999 ms will be rounded up to 100 ms, just like what we see in the official results, eg, 9.791s becomes 9.80s.
• Fourth, amend the rule slightly. So, if one registers 990 to 999 ms reaction time, only a yellow card will be given, and allowed to run once again, and advised to be careful. A repeated 'offence' gets a red card.

Additionally, here is a list of sprinters who can be considered to having the fastest reaction times.

• 0.100 s - Jon Drummond USA, Monaco, 1993
• 0.101 s - Bruny Surin CAN, Seville (world championships), 1999
• 0.104 s - Tim Montgomery USA, Paris, 2002

Finally, believe it or not, during the 1991 world championships in Tokyo, Dennis Mitchell recorded a reaction time of 0.090s en-route to finishing the 100m final in 3rd place, without being disqualified (ie, accepted by the IAAF).  

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Lalu Zohri Wins 10.20 in Malaysia Open GP 2019

The first day (30 March) of the 2019 Malaysia Open Grand Prix in Kuala Lumpur provided some exciting and top class performances.

But the performances at Bukit Jalil Stadium were dominated by Malaysian athletes who collected 5 gold medals (out of 13), 6 silver, and 6 bronze.

Nevertheless, the best performances of the day in "continental terms" came from several events including the men's 100m, 400m hurdles, shot put, and long jump.

As anticipated, Indonesia's Lalu Muhammad Zohri, the gold medalist of the 2018 World U20 championships took the victory in the century dash with a time of 10.20 (+0.1), a mere less than his personal best of 10.18, which was set during the gold medal-winning of the world juniors.

Men's 100m finals in Malaysian open GP 2019

A 10.20 clocking also equaled his time during the last Asian Games in Jakarta where he finished in seventh place.

The 19-year-old did not get a good start but seen dominant enough at the second half of the century dash, much more like of Carl Lewis. He covered the distance in 45 steps.

Lalu Zohri was first known as he run 10.25 last year during the pre-Asian Games meeting in February last year at Jakarta.

He now has nine sub-10.30 performances (10.18 to 10.28) including two from the present international meeting.

Malaysia's Zulfiqar Ismail was distant away and crosses the line in second in 10.41, right ahead of Chinese Taipei's Wei-Hsu Wang (10.44) and Malaysia's Muhammad Haiqal Hanafi (10.46).

Lalu Zohri with Malaysian sprinters Haiqal (left) and Zulfiqar (right)

In the men's long jump, Asian games bronze medalist Sapwatturahman has registered 7.97m (+0.5) to win his pet event while Malaysian youngster Andre Anura had a new personal best of 7.72m (+0.8) in second.

Chinese Taipei's Chen Chieh took the victory in the men's 400m hurdles in a fast time of 49.77s. The Taiwanese has a personal best of 49.05. His teammate Ming-Yang Peng was trailing in second in 50.21.

Jordan's Musab Al-Momani who came with a lifetime best of 62.64m had no problem to win the men's discus throw in 56.16m.

Ivan Ivanov of Kazakhstan had the longest throw after registering 19.53m from his third attempt to win the men's shot put, beating South Korea's Jung Ilwoo in second place (19.08m). The 6-foot-8 Kazakhstani has a lifetime best of 20-m.

Ivan Ivanov throws 19.53m

In the women's 100m, Kirghizistan's Anna Bulanova recorded a lifetime best of 11.75 (0.0) to win the women's 100m. Chinese Taipei's Chia Chen Hu was second in 11.89. Three Malaysians Siti Fatimah Mohamad (11.91), Komalam Shally Selveratnam (11.94), and Azreen Nabila Alias (12.04) were in 3rd to 5th places.

The five gold medals won by Team Malaysia came from Iskandar Alwi in the men's pole vault (5.20m), Royson Vincent in the men's 800m (1:51.11), Connie Choo Kang Ni in women's discus throw (44.39m), Kirthana Ramasamy in women's triple jump (13.17m), and Mandy Goh i in women's 400mh (64.91).

Visit the Facebook page for detailed results.

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