Sprinter Mohd Izzuddin latest to earn SEA Games ticket

KUALA LUMPUR: Sprinter Mohd Izzuddin Yahya is the latest athlete from athletics to book a ticket for the 28th SEA Games to be held in Singapore from June 5 to 16.

Malaysian Athletics Union (MAU), president Datuk Karim Ibrahim said with the qualification of Izzuddin, 29, who has a personal best of 10.48 seconds in 100m which was set at the Terengganu Open recently, the number of athletes to qualify on merit has reached 16.

“We (MAU) hope the number can increase after the Malaysian Athletics Open Championship over the weekend. We want as many athletes to qualify,” he told reporters at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, here, yesterday.

Earlier, the MAU had targeted 26 athletes to qualify for the biennial games.

Meanwhile, MAU Technical Director, Robert J. Ballard said the Malaysian Athletics Open Championship to be held at the National Stadium, here would be the last chance for athletes to qualify for the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

“The objective of winning many gold medals in Singapore might be difficult but it could be a stepping stone for our athletes to prepare for the 2017 edition,” he told reporters after attending a team managers meeting with SEA Games chef-de-mission (CDM), Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria.

Ballard said he will recommend the final list of athletes for the games to the MAU Selection Committee who will pass it to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).

OCM President Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar had earlier said all sports associations need to submit the final list of athletes before April 1.

According to Karim, Malaysian athletes would face a t ough challenge from perennial powerhouse Thailand and Vietnam.