Shereen aims to improve personal est after her five-medal haul

KUALA LUMPUR: Shereen Samson Vallabouy has taken part in five competitions in the last four months – and delivered a medal each time.

The 17-year-old athlete got the ball rolling by bagging the 400m silver with a personal best of 54.96 in the Malaysian Open in Bukit Jalil in March.

The Form Five student of Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) then clocked 55.12 to win the 400m gold in the SEA Youth Championships in Bukit Jalil in April to qualify for the World Youth Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia, from July 15-19. The qualifying mark is 57.20.

In May, Shereen bagged the 400m bronze in the inaugural Asian Youth Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Two days later, she overcame fatigue to clock 24.89 and shatter the girls’ Under-18 200m meet record at the National Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Track and Field Championships at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Malacca. Perak’s Noor Eewan Syafiqah Mohd Sabri had set the old mark of 25.00 in Alor Setar last year.

Her fifth medal was a 400m bronze at the Singapore SEA Games last month with a personal best of 54.26.

Now, she wants to improve on her personal best at the World Youth meet in Cali.

The Cali meet will be her last competition for this year as she’ll be taking a break to prepare for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations in November.

“I want to win medals for Malaysia and also get a university degree,” said Shereen, the second daughter of former national runners Samson Vallabouy and Josephine Mary.

“It’s been a splendid four months for me ... I’ve delivered medals in all five competitions.

“Now, I hope to clock a personal best at the World Youth meet.”

Shereen is only girl athlete to have qualified for the World Youth meet. The other five Malaysians going to Cali are sprinters Khairul Hafiz Jantan (100m, 200m), Asnawi Hashim (100m), Quek Lee Yong (400m hurdles), Mohd Syazwan Ahmad (high jump) and Andre Anura (triple jump).