Siti finally nails it
Johorean ends title drought with women’s 100m gold
KUALA LUMPUR: Sprinter Siti Fatimah Mohamed finally ended her gold-medal drought at the Malaysian Open Athletics Championships.
The 30-year-old Johorean, a regular competitor for Malaysia in international competitions for the last 11 years, clocked 11.91 to win the women’s 100m final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night.
S. Komalam Shally, representing Terengganu, won the silver in 11.97 while Eloiza Luzon of the Philippines clocked 11.99 to take the bronze.
Siti was pleased as punch to win her first-ever gold at the championships.
“But I’m not pleased with my time as it’s nowhere near my personal best of 11.77. With this win, I hope I’ve secured my place in the 100m at next month’s Kuala Lumpur SEA Games,” said Siti.
To date, only Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli of Kedah has sealed her place in the blue riband event at the Games with a personal best of 11.45 at a competition in South Africa in April.
In the battle for the men’s 100m gold, Hassan Saaid of the Maldives triumphed with a time of 10.49.
Muhd Haiqal Hanafi of Negri Sembilan upstaged national sprinter Badrul Hisyam Abdul Manap to win the silver in 10.55. Badrul could only clocked 10.62 for the bronze.
The 18-year-old Haiqal was surprised to beat favourite Badrul to finish second.
“Now, I hope the selectors will consider me for the 4x100m relay team at the Games,” said Haiqal.
R. Kirthana of Perak won the women’s triple jump gold by clearing 13.18m. It was way off her personal best of 13.48m which she recorded en route to a bronze at the Kazakhstan Open last month.
“I was hoping to improve my personal best. I’m not satisfied with my performance. I need to train harder if I hope to finish on the podium at the Games,” said Kirthana.