Zaidatul makes the cut for Asiad

KUALA LUMPUR: Pint- size Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli (pic) has qualified for the women’s 100m and 200m for the Asian Games in Jakarta in August while national sprinter Jonathan Nyepa is on the verge of making the cut.

The Kedah lass clocked a season best of 11.64 in the 100m heats in the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast last month to surpass the sixth placing qualify mark of 11.68.

Zaidatul clocked a personal best of 23.64 in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games to win silver last August to beat the qualifying mark of 23.65.

In the Malaysian Open from May 11-13, Zaidatul won the sprint double, clocking 11.66 in 100m and 23.74 in 200m.

But Sarawakian sprinter Jonathan missed the 200m Asian Games qualifying mark by a whisker.

The 22-year-old Jonathan clocked a personal best of 21.10 to win the 200m gold in the Malaysian Open early this month and the qualifying mark is 21.07.

National sprint coach M. Balamurugan said that he is confident that Jonathan would be able to beat the Asian Games qualifying mark.

“He has shown progress in the Malaysian Open and last year he clocked 21.18 in the South Korea Open and this year he came very close to make Asian Games cut.

“Jonathan is training hard in preparation for the Kazakhstan Open from June 27-28 and also the Vietnam Open (from July 24-28) to beat the mark,” said Balamurugan, who added that Jonathan will also feature in the 4x100m in the Asian Games.

Jonathan together with Khairul Hafiz Jantan, Badrul Hisyam Abdul Manap and Nixson Kennedy clocked 39.37 in the final of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast last month to surpass the qualifying mark of 39.47.