Triple jumper Shahidatun aims to surpass 13-metre mark in MSSM meet

KUALA LUMPUR: Noor Shahidatun Nadia Mohd Zuki will only turn 16 on June 5 but she wants to be the third women triple jumper in Malaysia to surpass the 13-metre mark when she takes part in the National Schools Athletics Championships (MSSM) which begins today at the Stadium Utama in Kangar.

The Alor Setar-born athlete has a personal best of 12.99m, which she set in the FT AllComers meet in March, to qualify for the 14th edition of the World Junior Championships in Barcelona from July 10-15.

The qualifying mark for the world meet is 12.90m.

Shahidatun has also qualified for the 15th edition of the Asian Junior meet in Colombo, Sri Lanka from June 9-12.

Selangor’s Ngew Sin Mei was the first woman jumper to surpass the 13-metre mark. She holds the national record of 13.74m, which she set in the Malaysian Open in 2004.

Noor Amira Mohd Nafiah of Perak was the second as she cleared 13.37m in the Kedah Open three weeks ago.

Shahidatun, a Form Four student of Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), said that although she is still young but has managed to master the triple jump event exceptionally well.

“I have been improving my personal best since I took up the event four years ago and my mission in the MSSM meet is to surpass the 13m barrier in the girls Under-18 category.

“I will not face any stiff competition in the meet but it will not stop me from going all out to improve on my personal best,” said Shahidatun.

“I want to be the third athlete in the country after Sin Mei and Amira to clear the 13m mark. If I achieve my target then I will have a bright chance of winning a medal in the Asian Junior meet next month,” said Shahidatun, who won the gold medal in the Asean Schools meet in Singapore last year.

“My childhood dream is to represent Malaysia in the Olympics and I hope to achieve my goal.”

Shahidatun is also expected to win the gold in the long jump event in the MSSM meet. She has a personal best of 5.91m.

Meanwhile, Sarawak, will again be the favourites to become the overall champions for the third consecutive time in the MSSM meet which is contest under the boys and girls Under-12, Under-15 and Under-18 categories.

A total of 90 gold medals are at stake in the five-day meet, which ends on Saturday.