Bright future for Malaysian athletics as nine records tumble at Sukma
SERDANG: Things look bright for the future of athletics in the country after nine Sukma records were broken as the track and field competition concluded at the UPM Stadium in Serdang on Thursday.
Serdang witnessed a bright future for Malaysian athletics as nine Sukma records were shattered during the recent track and field competition held at the UPM Stadium. Four Sukma athletes have secured spots in the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, set to take place from September 19 to October 4. Danish Iftikhar Roslee from Johor, Izzatul Musfirah Ahmad Kamal Azira from Terengganu, and Armin Zahryl Abdul Latif will participate in the men's 200m, 4x100m, and 110m hurdles respectively. Meanwhile, sprinter Umaira Subri from Kedah will compete in the 4x100m relay.
Danish, 19, claimed gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m events at Sukma, establishing a new Sukma record in the 200m with a time of 20.85 seconds. He also led the Johor team to break the 4x100m record, finishing the race in 39.46 seconds. On the women's side, Chen Yie Ji from the Federal Territories made headlines by winning gold medals in the 1,500m, 5,000m, and 10,000m events.
She shattered the Sukma record in the 10,000m, clocking 39:47.28, a 50-second improvement over the previous record set by Esther Joy of Selangor in 2024. Chai Kai Le, 18, broke the men's javelin Sukma record with a throw of 64.44m, nearing his personal best of 65.65.
Aside from the athletes competing at the Asian Games, Malaysia Athletics (MA) deputy president Datuk Wan Hisham Wan Salleh expressed satisfaction with the overall performance and record-breaking achievements. He emphasized the need to support these talented athletes in improving their performances in subsequent competitions. Wan Hisham also mentioned that South African coach Thabo Matebedi has been hired to assist in enhancing the sprinters' abilities.
He highlighted Yie Ji's success in the long-distance events, predicting a bright future for her in future competitions, including the SEA Games.
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