KUALA LUMPUR: Only two national runners, Muhammad Azeem Fahmi and Shereen Samson Vallabouy, are on the Malaysian Athletics Federation’s (KOM) candidates list to be a given wildcard slot to represent Malaysia in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
KOM Director of Coaching Robert Ballard said the KOM selection committee needs to make a decision before July 8 to submit to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), noting that only one wildcard slot can be awarded if both athletes do not qualify on merit.
“This list will be sent out to the selection committee, and they need to decide after June 30 but certainly before July 8 because OCM must submit the names with the accompanying coach or official if that’s the case.
“…but we are still hoping that both athletes can qualify on merit, and if they qualify on merit there’s no decision to make; I’m pretty sure that they will accept them for qualifying,” he told a press conference at the Mini Stadium, National Sports Council, Bukit Jalil here yesterday.
However, he acknowledged that Shereen Samson faces a tough challenge as she needs to break her 400 metres (m) record twice more in upcoming competitions, starting with the Nashville meet in the United States this week.
“From Nashville next weekend, she then flies to Malaysia for the Malaysian Open, and we have requested an entry to Kazakhstan on June 22 for the bronze level meet for both Shereen and Muhammad Azeem to attempt to qualify for the Olympics on merit.
“…so if Shereen were to be given the nod, she cannot run 400m as everyone needs to be very mindful of this fact that the unqualified positions now available are only for 100m and 800m. So, 800m is not an option; the only option is 100m, which she has run with 11.61 seconds while Muhammad Azeem is a dedicated 100m specialist,” he said.
In another development, he said the presence of two former Cuban athletes, Jorge Luis Alfaro (high jump) and Yunaika Crawford Roger (hammer throw), who have been in Malaysia for about six weeks, will bring new insights by sharing their expertise with the Malaysian athletics community.
Ballard informed that Jorge Luis, who previously coached national high jump champion Lee Hup Wei, and former 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Yunaika, will lead a skills workshop attended by about 100 coaches at Ranau Stadium, Sabah, from June 6-8.
“They are here for six weeks or 40 days invitation to do coaching clinics. We’ve invited them here through our funding support so that we can educate our coaches and athletes. They’ve also been working with our podium athletes.
They have (also) expressed interest to apply as permanent coaches, so I’ve definitely asked them to apply, and then we will obviously compile all the applications,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sabah Athletics Association president Mohamat Hassan appreciated all the efforts by stakeholders to bring such activities to Sabah to produce more capable coaches and to identify grassroots talents to be highlighted on the international stage. – BERNAMA
