KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- National sprint ace Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi has set his sights on returning from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a better achievement than the bronze medal he bagged at the previous edition in Hangzhou.
Muhammad Azeem, who holds the national 100-metre (m) record of 10.09 seconds (s), said his main objective is to get on the podium and improve on his 2023 achievement in Hangzhou as he looks ahead to making his second Asiad appearance.
“For the Asian Games, I won the bronze medal in the previous edition (in Hangzhou). So, surely my target this time is the same, that is to get on the podium. But, insya-Allah, I will try my very best to get something better than bronze,” he said.
He said this when met during the visit by Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari and chef de mission Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan to two training venues at the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil today to check on athletes preparing for the prestigious Asiad.
Muhammad Azeem said his preparations for Asiad are going smoothly and he is in peak physical condition ahead of his participation in the Oman Grand Prix Athletics Championships in Muscat on Saturday (Sept 5).
The winner of the 100m at the 2026 Asian Under-23 Athletics Championships also hopes to produce an encouraging time in Oman to boost his confidence ahead of the Sept 19-Oct 4 Asian Games.
Commenting on the challenge in Japan, the 22-year-old sprinter expects a more open affair as several of Asia’s leading contenders have clocked almost identical times this season.
He named Thailand’s Puripol Boonson, Oman’s Ali Anwar Ali Al-Balushi and Japan’s 2019 Asian champion Yoshihide Kiryu among the main contenders he must be wary of at the Asian Games.
“Our best times this season are also in a similar range. So, I am quite confident heading into the Asian Games and, insya-Allah, I hope everything falls into place on race day for me to make Malaysia proud,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Athletics (MA) Coaching Programme coordinator Mohd Manshahar Abd Jalil believes Muhammad Azeem has the ability to clock a sub-10-second time if he can hit his stride in Japan.
“He himself is confident he can do it so, as a coach, I also have to believe that he is capable of reaching that level. If he can clos a sub-10s, it will be huge bonus not for for Azeem, but also for the country.
“We are confident he can do it and it will depend on his condition during race day…,” he said.
For the record, Muhammad Azeem’s best time this season is 10.09s, which he set at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships in Kentucky, United States, in May.
-- BERNAMA