Steeplechaser Sable conquers fear of hurdles in time for Asian Games title defence

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Despite enduring a demanding season, national sprinter Danish Iftikhar Muhammad Roslee is set to make his Asian Games debut at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The 19-year-old sprinter, who has participated in nine consecutive competitions since May, will compete in his 10th event of the season. Danish Iftikhar stated that he is mentally prepared for the debut but acknowledged that his physical condition has been impacted by the intense competition schedule.

The 2025 SEA Games bronze medalist will compete in the 200 meters, men’s 4x100m, and mixed 4x100m relay events.

Recently, Iftikhar underwent a week-long rehabilitation program at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and the National Sports Institute (NSI) after returning from the 2026 Muscat Grand Prix in Oman. This rehabilitation contributed to improving his physical fitness from approximately 60 to 70 percent following the Muscat Grand Prix, and currently ranges from 80 to 100 percent.

At the Muscat Grand Prix, Danish Iftikhar, Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam, Muhammad Umaira Subri, and Muhammad Azeem Fahmi won the gold medal in the men’s 4x100m relay with a time of 39.18 seconds.

For the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Iftikhar's primary focus is to remain injury-free and seize his opportunity on the continental stage. He, along with other national athletes, left for a centralised training camp in Sendai, Japan, yesterday under the guidance of national sprint head coach Thabo Matebedi. The athletics competition at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will take place from Sept 23-29.