Khairul to skip 100m to focus on breaking 200m national record

KUALA LUMPUR: One down and one to go. Sprinter Khairul Hafiz Jantan (pic) will skip the blue riband event in the Malaysian Open Athletic Championships at the Universiti Malaya Sports Arena from Sept 30 to Oct 2.

The 18-year-old from Malacca, who broke the 100m national record with a personal best of 10.18 at the Sukma in Kuching in July, will instead be out to break the 200m national record of 20.92.

Tan Sri Dr M. Jegathesan set the mark 48 years ago at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.

Khairul is featuring in the Malaysian Open for the first time and expectations are high for him to set a new mark.

“My coach Mohd Poad ( Mohd Kassim) wants me to skip the 100m to focus on the 200m.

“I have broken one record and will be aiming for the oldest standing athletics record in Malaysia,” said Khairul, who has a personal best of 21.01.

Khairul was the first Malaysian sprinter to win the 100m gold in the Asian Junior Championships with a time of 10.36 in Ho Chi Minh City in July.

He went on to bag the silver in the 200m clocking 21.15.

Khairul said that he is mentally and physically in good form.

“I have been training hard since Sukma and I’m looking forward to dip below 21 seconds,” added Khairul, who is doing his pre-university studies at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) in Johor.

Coach Mohd Poad said that Khairul has proven himself in the 100m and the time has come for him to break the 200m record.

“I have faith in him as he is dedicated sprinter and has the ability to do it.”

Khairul will also run in the 4x100m.