He’s up to the task (AUGUST 19 - 30)
Coach Poad confident Khairul can smash 100m record
NATIONAL coach Mohd Poad Mohd Kassim believes sprinter Khairul Hafiz Jantan can win as well as shatter the men’s 100m record at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.
Khairul holds the national record of 10.18 which he set in the Sukma in Kuching last year.
The Games record is 10.17, set by Indonesian Suryo Agung Wibowo in Brunei in 1999.
“Khairul has been very impressive in training, clocking some good times. He is all fired up for the Games,” said Poad.
Last month, Khairul clocked his season best of 10.24 in the semi-finals of the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar, India.
There is also good news forr Khairul as Filipino Eric Shauwwn Cray, the 100m champion at the 2015 Singapore 100m, is exppected to skip the blue riband event to concentrate on the 400m hurdles.
The 100m and 400m hurdles heats and finals will be held on the same day on Aug 22 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
And due to the tight schedule, Eric is likely to compete only in the 400mm hurdles.
HHe won the event at last moonth’s Asian Championships. The 19-year-old Khairul also received a timely boost yesterday.
He received a RM1,500 reward as well as two Suuunto Spartan Ultra watches, valued at RM2,000 each, from Universal Fitness and Leisure Sdn Bhd (UFL) managing director Datuk Radha Krishnan for breaking the 200m record of 20.92 set by Tan Sri Dr M. Jegathesan.
Khairul clocked 20.90 in the Malaysian Open at National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last month to shatter Dr Jegathesan’s 49-year-old record.
Radha also announced that UFL would reward Khairul RM2,000 for each gold he wins at the KL Games and a further RM1,000 for breaking a Games record.
Khairul will be competing in four events – the 100m, 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m.
“I’m thankful to UFL for the incentive and the watches.
“Now, I will try my best to fulfil my coach’s dream by winning and breaking the 100m record.
“It’s a challenge but I’m ready for it,” said Khairul.