May Xin overcomes fever to smash 22-year Games record

HEPTATHLETE Winnie Eng May Xin pulled off the biggest surprise when she battled fever to break a 22-year Malaysia Games (Sukma) record.

The 19-year-old from Federal Territories has been under the weather since Tuesday but yesterday, she was in sizzling form to score 4,510 points in the girls’ heptathlon to erase the old Games mark by 57 points.

The previous record of 4,453 points was set by Masliza Shaari of Pahang in Kuantan in 1996.

May Xin improved on her person- al best by a whopping 50 08 points.

She collected 4,002 points en route to winning the gold at t the National Schools Sports s Council (MSSM) Champion- ships in Kuala Terengganu in n 2016.

She registered a personal best in four out of the seven disciplines in the heptathlon – 100m hurdles (14.90), javelin (33.32m), 200m (26.04) and long jump (5.37m).

The Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) prre-university student was bafflled with her outstanding aachievement.

“I had fever on Tuesday, a day before my event. I was praying that I’ll recover by Wednesday,” May Xin, who finisshed fourth in Sarawak Sukma in 22016.

“It was a miracle as I got slightlly bbetter and did not expect anything great.

“But I’ve even surprised myself by recording four personal bests in seven disciplines over the last two days.

“I finally won my first gold in Sukma in my third attempt. I took up heptathlon because I love challenges.”

Meanwhile, Mohd Amirul Arif Mohd Azri of Johor made a memorable debut in the Games to win the boys’ 1,500m with a time of 4:07.40 while Savinder Kaur of Selangor signed off from Sukma by defending both her 800m and 1500m events.

A total of seven Games records were shattered in the four-day athletics meet.