Speed merchants
Aqil and Azreen are the A-class sprinters of the Games
ONE defied odds. The other broke a 10-year Malaysia Games (Sukma)) record.
Yesterday, Selangor’s Muhd Aqil Yasmin and Terengganu’s Azreen Nabila Alias blazed the track to emerge as the new 100m sprint king and queen respectively in the 19th Sukma edition at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh.
The 21-year-old Aqil was not even a pre-competition favourite but he stepped on the gas to clock a personal best of 10.39s in the final to win the boys’ blue riband event.
Aqil, who was also in smashing form in the semi-finals by clocking the fastest time of 10.66s on Monday, did not cave under pressure but ran the race of his life to upstage favourites Muhd Haiqal Hanafi of Negri Sembilan and Asian Junior Championships bronze medallist Muhd Zulfiqar Ismail.
Haiqal posted 10.43s at second while Zulfiqar finished third with 10.46s.
The Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) sports science diploma student is hoping for a national call-up after his exploit yesterday.
“I hope by winning the Sukma 100m gold, I will be called up for national training for the 4x100m relay for next year’s SEA Games,” said Aqil, who finished fourth in the 100m final with a time of 10.48s at the Sarawak Sukma in K Kuching two years ago.
“I aim for a sprint double by winningi the 200m tomorrow,” said Aqil, who thanked coach Simon Lau for his steady progress in training over the last three years.
But the star of the day was the 18-year-old pint-sized Azreen, who pulled off the biggest surprise by breaking a 10-year Games record after sprinting to the girls’ 100m gold with a personal best time of 11.81s.
She bettered the old mark by 0.01s set by Siti Fatimah Mohamed of Johor in Kuala Terengganu in 2008.
Azreen from Setiu was over the moon.
“I’ve never thought of breaking the Sukma record as I’ve never dipped below 12 seconds in any competitions as my personal best is 12.01,” said Azreen, who won the 100m silver at the last Games in Sarawak.
“This is the best achievement in my career and I’m going to go for a double,” added Azreen, who is eyeing another golden glitter in the 200m.
Sabah sprinters, Chelsea Cassiopea Evali Bopulas and Ikma Syaffiera Duris registered 12.17s and 12.28s to take the second and third place in the women’s 100m event.