Thailand Open 2019: Zulfiqar Ismail runs 10.42 in 100m, Tran Dinh Son sets 46.64 in 400m

The 65th edition of Thailand open Track and Field Championships is underway at Bangkok. It was commenced yesterday (18 May 2019) and will end on Tuesday (21).

Malaysia's Zulfiqar Ismail had a consistent performance in the men's 100m, setting 10.50 in the opening heat. He then improved to 10.42 in semifinals. The 20-year-old Zulfiqar once again set 10.42 to win the men's 100m final, giving Malaysia's third consecutive win of the men's century dash in Thailand open, after Khairul Hafiz Jantan in 2017 and Nixson Kennedy in 2018. Second and third places went to Thailand's Siripol Punpa (who recorded PB in 10.45, from 10.46 in semifinals) and the former SEA Games champion Jirapong Meenapra (PB 10.31) in 10.52, respectively. Malaysian Haiqal Ismail (PB 10.43) who ran his semifinals at 10.46 was in 4th in a close neck-to-neck finish.

In the women's section, the first five positions went to Thais with Supawan Thipat taking the victory in 11.69, not far from her PB of 11.64. Just like in men, the next finishers were very close on the line and their positions had to be determined by photo-finish.

Men's 100m final at Thailand Open 2019

Vietnam's Tran Dinh Son set a lifetime best of 46.64 to win the men's 400m ahead of Chinese Taipei's Yang Lung Hsiang who also recorded sub-47 (46.91). What is more exciting, the Vietnamese has lowered his PB by just one hundreds of a second that he set earlier during the semifinals.

The women's section saw a gold medal-winning to Papua New Guinea's Beu Leonie who recorded 57.00 (SF 56.99), ahead of Malaysia's Nurul Faizah Asma Mazlan (57.44) and Vietnam's Thi Thi Mon (57.60). Yet, better performance in the women U20, by Thailand's Chinenye Josephine Onuorah who clocked 56.33.

In the men's discus throw, Malaysia's Abdul Rahman Lee, 21, registered a new PB and topped the 50m mark for the second time with a distance of 50.16m, taking the gold medal from Thailand's three-time SEA Games silver medalist Narong Benjaroon (50.15m).

In the men's triple jump, Vietnam's Nguyen Van Hao leaped 15.52 (+1.2) to win the gold medal from Thailand's  Pratchaya Tepparak who jumped 15.40 (-0.8). Ronne Malipay of the Philippine bagged bronze in 15.34 (0.0).

Philippines' Asian championship bronze medalist Natalie Rose Uy cleared 4.00m to win the women's pole vault. Despite clearing the same height, Taiwanese Wu Chia Ju finished second place on countback.

Mariya Ovchinnikova compete in the women's triple jump

The women's triple jump saw Thailand's newly crowned Asian champion Parinya Chuaimaroeang (PB 14.17) lost to Kazakhstani Mariya Ovchinnikova (PB 13.94) by only 3cm, 13.19m (+0.4) to 13.16m (+0.2).

Asian championship bronze medalist Subenrat Insaeng won her 5th national titles after throwing 53.15m - a distance that would win the SEA games easily. This is however far from her PB of 61.97m.


Selected results (day 1)

Men's 100m final
1. Zulfiqar Ismail MAS 10.42
2. Siripol Punpa THA 10.45
3. Jirapong Meenapra THA 10.52
4. Muhd Haiqal Hanafi MAS 10.53
5. Ruttanapon Sowan THA 10.53
6. Kim Byeong Chan KOR 10.54
7. Chayut Khongprasit THA 10.64
8. Muhd Aqil Yasmin MAS 10.69

Women's 100m final
1. Supawan Thipat THA 11.69
2. Tassaporn Wannakit THA 11.80
3. Kwanrutai Pakdee THA 11.80
4. Supanich Poolkerd THA 11.82
5. On-Uma Chatta THA 11.93
6. Siti Fatimah Mohamad MAS 11.85
7. Azreen Nabila Alias MAS 12.06

Men's 400m final
1. Tran Dinh Son VIE 46.64
2. Yang Lung Hsiang TPE 46.91
3. Phitchaya Sunthonthuam THA 47.21
4. Yu Chen Yi TPE 47.81
5. Lakmal Mudiyanselage SRI 47.83
6. Saiful Safwan Saifuddin MAS 48.45

Women's pole vault
1. Natalie Rose Uy PHI 4.00
2. Wu Chia Ju TPE 4.00
3. LinYing Tung TPE 3.80
4. Rachel Yang SGP 3.55
5. Chuah Yu Tian MAS 3.55

Women's triple jump
1. Mariya Ovchinnikova KAZ 13.19 (+0.4)
2. Parinya Chuaimaroeng THA 13.16 (+0.2)
3. Tran Hoa Hue VIE 12.64 (+0.5)
4. Angel Carino PHI 11.91 (-0.8)

Men's discus throw
1. Abdul Rahman Lee MAS 50.16
2. Narong Benjaroon THA 50.15
3. Thongchai Silamool THA 48.47
4. Ma Hau Wei TPE 46.09
5. Jakkapat Noisri THA 45.50
6. Eric Yee Chun Wai SGP 44.95

Women's discus throw
1. Subenrat Insaeng THA 53.15
2. Guo Pei Yu TPE 45.64
3. Choo Kang Ni MAS 44.23
4. Charuwan Sroisena THA 42.43
5. Queenie Ting MAS 41.56
6. Mar Mar San MYA 39.62

(Photo Athletics Association of Thailand)

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Prabudass Krishnan Runs Second Fastest Malaysian in the 5000m in 14:33.10

Prabudass Krishnan lowered his lifetime best performance in the men's 5000m as he clocked 14:33:10 during the latest (270th) Long Distance Competition series of Nippon Sports Science University (NSSU) yesterday (12 May) at Tokyo, Japan.


It came after he set his second sub-15 of 14:37:52 just three weeks ago at the same venue, which was already a SEA Games Gold Standard Performance.

Vietnam's Nguyen Van Lai won the last SEA Games in 14:55.15 with Prabudass in second place (14:57.43).

He moved up to second fastest on Malaysia's All-Time lists,  bettering A. Munusamy's 14:33.99 time from 1996 and now behind only the 25-year-old national record of 14:06.84 by M. Ramachandran.

Within 3 weeks, Prabudass Krishnan set another personal best in the 5000m 

Prabudass Krishnan at the start of his 5000m race


Watch his race on YouTube (or below):

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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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