# Athletics coach Poad Kassim heavily sedated for treatment and rest
National Sports Council director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail drove down from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru on Tuesday to visit ailing national athletics coach Mohd Poad Kassim who is admitted to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru.
Cikgu Poad as the coach is popularly known in the athletics fraternity was admitted to the hospital with a severe lung infection which has spread. He is in induced coma.
“The latest information I have is Cikgu Poad is critical but stabil. He is heavily sedated for treatment and rest. He is given oxygen for easier breathing because there is some difficulty for Poad to breathe on his own as he is quite weak,” said Shapawi after his visit.
Poad, 48, is a teacher at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School in Bandar Penawar in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
He is a household name in the country after training Khairul Hafiz Jantan – who is nicknamed “Speedy Jantan” – and is currently the fastest man in South East Asia after winning the 100m gold medal at the Kuala Lumpur (KL2017) Sea Games in August.
Khairul’s gold ended Malaysia’s 14-year wait in the event. The Malacca-born Khairul clocked 10.38s for the gold – pushing defending champion Eric Shauwn Cray of the Philippines into second place.
Khairul also holds the national 200m record of 20.90s which he set at the Malaysia Open in July. BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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