Wafiy out to make 400m his domain after clocking year’s fastest time

KUALA LUMPUR: Abdul Wafiy Roslan wants to be the top 400m runner in the country after clocking the fastest time in competitions this year.

The Kuala Terengganu athlete clocked a personal best of 47.07 to win silver in the Malaysian Open in Bukit Jalil in May.

The lanky Wafiy beat two of his training partners Muhd Saiful Safwan Saifuddin (47.31) and Muhd Ilham Suhaimi (48.09) in the Malaysian Open.

Both Saiful and Ilham, who finished third and fourth respectively in the Malaysian Open, will feature in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Perak in the 400m.

The 19-year-old Wafiy will also compete in the 200m but he wants to focus more in the quarter-mile event.

“I strongly believe that I can win the 400m in the Sukma as I’ve clocked the fastest time in Malaysia this year.

“My mission in the Sukma is to do a personal best and I’m eyeing 47 seconds,” said Wafiy, who clocked 47.42 to win gold in the Melaka Open championships last month.

“I will face a strong challenge from Saiful and Ilham in the 400m but I’m ready to win my first Sukma gold,” said Wafiy, who only featured in the 4x400m in his first Sukma in Kuching, Sarawak, two years ago.

Wafiy is also hoping to win the 200m gold as he upset national champion Khairul Hafiz Jantan by clocking a personal best of 21.20 to win silver in the Malaysian Open in May.

Khairul finished third in 21.27 while national runner Jonathan Nyepa won gold with a personal best of 21.10.

Wafiy, who is doing his pre-university course at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) in Bandar Penawar, wants to feature in the Philippines SEA Games next year.

“It’s going to be a challenge to do so as I have to clock 46.46 to beat the silver medal mark of the 2017 SEA Games,” said Wafiy, who won bronze in the 4x400m with Saiful, Ilham and Luqmanul Hakim in the Asian Junior Championships in Gifu, Japan, in June.