National 100 meter sprinter, Izzuddin Yahya has been shortlisted by the Malaysian Athletics Federation as a candidate that could potentially be successful in the upcoming SEA Games.
The last time Malaysia stood on the edge of glory was during the 2003 edition in Vietnam where Izzuddin’s personal coach, Nazmizan Muhammad succeeded in clinching gold for the 100m and 200m event.
Since then, Malaysia has never really been able to hit impeccable heights in international competitions, but tide seems to be turning in recent times, with Izzuddin showcasing plenty of promise.
That being said, the technical director of MAF Robert J. Ballard prefers to remain realistic, suggesting that fans need to manage their expectations as well.
“Izzuddin is shining in the spotlight and he’s in his best form right now,” he told Kosmo.
“For me, Izzuddin has the potential to win a medal for Malaysia but probably not gold. You need to understand the gap we have between us and Thailand & Indonesia.
“South East Asia has a lot of fast sprinters. Many athletes were able to beat Izzuddin’s record of 10.48 seconds at the recent Singapore Athletics Open,” he added.
Izzuddin and Nazmizan are currently training up north in Perlis though both individuals have been advised by Ballard to shift their preparations over to Kuala Lumpur, where the rest of the SEA Games contingent are currently based at.
Photo credits: www.hmetro.my
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