Abdul Latif confident of qualifying for Philippines SEA Games

KUALA LUMPUR: Para long jumper Abdul Latif Romly is optimistic to qualify for his second SEA Games.

Latif needs to equal or surpass the silver medal qualifying mark of 7.78m set by Indonesia’s Suwardi Wijaya in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2017 to earn a place in the Philippines Games from Nov 30 to Dec 10.

Abdul Latif, who started training last month, will compete in the National Open Championships in Bukit Jalil on March 28 and 29 to beat the mark.

The 21-year-old said he would not have the problem of beating the mark as he has a personal best of 7.85m, which he did in Kuala Lumpur last year.

“I just need to stay focused and train hard to achieve it,” said Abdul Latif.

“My coach Mohd Syahrul (Amri Suhaimi) believes that I have the ability to beat mark in the National Open.

“My mission this year is further improve my personal best.”

Abdul Latif earned his Games debut in Kuala Lumpur after winning the gold medal in the Perak All Comers meet in Lumut in 2017 with an effort of 7.40m.

For the KL SEA Games, he suffered food poisoning and although not in best form, he still managed to jump 7.34m to finish seventh among 11 participants.

Abdul Latif will also feature in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai from Feb 24-27.

“The meet in Dubai is part of my preparations to win my third con- secutive gold medal in the World Para Championships (in Dubai from Nov 7-15),” added Abdul Latif.

He won the first gold at the World Championships in Doha in 2015 and retained it in London two years ago.

Abdul Latif broke the world record in the Rio Paralympics in 2016 en route to win gold with a jump of 7.60m.

And last year in the Asian Para Games in Jakarta, he bettered his world record with an effort of 7.64m en route to retain the gold.