Haiqal Hanafi wins SEA Games 100m Gold in 10.35
>> December 08, 2019
Malaysia’s Muhammad Haiqal Hanafi is the king of sprint of the 30th SEA Games that was held in Clark, the Philippines.
He clocked a new personal best (PB) of 10.35 to win the century dash in an unexpectedly huge margin against a strong 100m field.
Thailand's fastest final qualifier Sowan Ruttanapon and Bandit Chuangchai were in second (10.49) and third (10.52) for silver and bronze, respectively.
Ironically, the 20-year-old was not listed as a representative for the 100m until the mid of November when the Malaysian Athletics Federation decided to have him as a replacement of an injured sprinter (Zulfiqar Ismail).
In fact, he was not the first choice for that as was the 4th fastest among the locals, behind Jonathan Nyepa (10.37), Zulfiqar Ismail (10.41), and Russel Taib (10.42), before the SEA Games.
However, he had a more compelling performance throughout the year than other Malaysian sprinters who seem unconvincingly prepared for the sprint century.
He won a double (100m and 200m) in the national championships in August and posted a 10.44 during a local meeting in November.
Haiqal who trains under Poad Kassim has triggered a sound signal for something to watch in the finals as he ran 10.39 in heats in the morning, a personal best.
"Thanks God, thanks to my coach, families, and those who have supported me, I executed my race plan very well," Haiqal said.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Le Tu Chinh retained her title in the women’s 100m in a time of 11.54, just ahead Kristina Knott of the Philippines who stopped the clock at 11.55.
Like Haiqal, she was unstoppable after taking a good lead from the start.
Singapore's Veronica Shanti Pereira retained her bronze medal from the last edition as she finished in third place in 11.66.
Malaysia's Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli who bagged the silver medal in Kuala Lumpur, was in sixth in 11.84.
He clocked a new personal best (PB) of 10.35 to win the century dash in an unexpectedly huge margin against a strong 100m field.
Thailand's fastest final qualifier Sowan Ruttanapon and Bandit Chuangchai were in second (10.49) and third (10.52) for silver and bronze, respectively.
Ironically, the 20-year-old was not listed as a representative for the 100m until the mid of November when the Malaysian Athletics Federation decided to have him as a replacement of an injured sprinter (Zulfiqar Ismail).
In fact, he was not the first choice for that as was the 4th fastest among the locals, behind Jonathan Nyepa (10.37), Zulfiqar Ismail (10.41), and Russel Taib (10.42), before the SEA Games.
However, he had a more compelling performance throughout the year than other Malaysian sprinters who seem unconvincingly prepared for the sprint century.
He won a double (100m and 200m) in the national championships in August and posted a 10.44 during a local meeting in November.
Haiqal who trains under Poad Kassim has triggered a sound signal for something to watch in the finals as he ran 10.39 in heats in the morning, a personal best.
"Thanks God, thanks to my coach, families, and those who have supported me, I executed my race plan very well," Haiqal said.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Le Tu Chinh retained her title in the women’s 100m in a time of 11.54, just ahead Kristina Knott of the Philippines who stopped the clock at 11.55.
Like Haiqal, she was unstoppable after taking a good lead from the start.
Singapore's Veronica Shanti Pereira retained her bronze medal from the last edition as she finished in third place in 11.66.
Malaysia's Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli who bagged the silver medal in Kuala Lumpur, was in sixth in 11.84.
