Khairul Hafiz eyes three golds at 29th SEA Games

Khairul Hafiz, who made a new new 200m national record record of 20.90s at the 94th Malaysia Open Athletics Championship yesterday said it would, however, be up to coach Mohd Poad Md Kassim to decide on the event he would be competing in at the biennial sporting event.

At the 94th Malaysia Open Athletics Championship which ended yesterday, the "Speedy Jantan" broke Tan Sri Dr M. Jegathesan's 49-year-old 200m national record of 20.92s made during the 1968 Moscow Olympic Games.

The 18-year-old Melaka-born athlete said whatever decision made by the coach on his event at the coming SEA Games, he would take up the challenge and o his best.

"He (coach) better. As an athlete, my duty is to train and always strive to be the best.

"I hope the Malaysian people will pray for my success. I promise to should the responsibility given to me to the best of my capability," he said at a media conference on the "Kita Juara 2017" programme at the Bukit Jalil National Sports Council yesterday.

Prior to this, Khairul Hafiz made national headlines when he broke the national 100m record held by Watson Nyambek (10.30s) after clocking 10.18s at the SUKMA held in Sarawak, last July.

"Honestly, I'm neither afraid nor too confident , but the ( 94th Malaysia Open Athletics ) championship has given me some edge. I am now able to figure out my rhythm and running strategy for the SEA Games having tried the tracks," he said.

For the record, the last time time Malaysia won the gold in the sprint event at the SEA Games was in the 2003 edition in Vietnam through Nazmizan Muhammad in the 100m and 200m events.