{
  "id": 10363272,
  "title": "Puripol backs Azeem for sub-10 breakthrough",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/puripol-backs-azeem-for-sub-10-breakthrough",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T04:11:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2026/09/1542749/puripol-backs-azeem-sub-10-breakthrough"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nagoya: Puripol Boonson, the prominent Asian sprinter, has expressed faith in his close friend and fellow Malaysian runner, Azeem Fahmi. The 20-year-old Azeem, who studied and trained in the United States, is seen by Puripol as a talented rival with the potential to achieve a sub-10-second 100m time. Puripol attributes Azeem's success to his high-level experience and the rivalry they share, expressing confidence that Azeem will only get stronger in the future. Puripol personally felt sympathetic for Azeem, who had to sit out the men's 4x100m relay team due to injury at the 100m final. He emphasized that their friendship has grown beyond mere competition as they frequently meet at various events. Azeem currently holds the Malaysian 100m record at 10.09 seconds. Puripol himself became the first Southeast Asian sprinter to break the 10-second barrier when he ran 9.94 seconds at the 2025 Bangkok SEA Games. At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Puripol claimed victories in both the 100m and 200m events, breaking the Games records in both instances. He set a new Games record for the 100m with a time of 9.90 seconds in the final, while his 200m time of 19.88 seconds matched the Asian record set by China's Xie Zhenye during the 2019 London Diamond League meeting. Puripol remains focused on improving his performance, promising himself that he will continue to get faster and break more records.",
  "summary": "NAGOYA: Asian sprint king Puripol Boonson believes close friend and Malaysian sprinter Azeem Fahmi has the potential to follow him under 10 seconds in the 100m.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}