The Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) will have their own Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year from next year.
The brainchild of MAF president Datuk Karim Ibrahim, the awards will be become an annual affair.
Nominees for next year’s awards will be based on this year’s achievements. Malaysian athletics has taken an upswing this year and Karim is not resting on the laurels as he eyes a “bigger picture” for Malaysian athletics.
Malaysia ended the athletics programme with a 8-8-9 haul – surpassing the six gold medal targeted in track and field events at the biennial games. Along the way Malaysian athletes broke three Sea Games records.
Topping the list of record breakers were Sarawakians Jackie Wong Siew Cheer in the men’s hammer and Grace Wong Xiu Mei in the women’s hammer.
Jackie hurled the hammer to a new distance of 65.90m – which erased the old record of 65.63m held by Caleb Stuart of the Philippines set at the last Sea Games in Singapore in 2015.
The new record also saw Jackie better his national record of 65.34m he set at the Korean Open in Jeongseon in June.
Jackie was delighted to watch Grace follow suit in winning the women’s hammer gold with a new Sea Games record of 59.24m. Niece of former Sea Games and national record holder Wong Tee Kui, the 17-year-old Grace also holds the national record of 60.99m.
Malaysia’s other Sea Games record in athletics came from Muhd Hakimi Ismail who recorded 16.77m on his way to the gold in the men’s long jump. His old mark stood at 16.76m when he won the gold in the Singapore Sea Games.
Khairul Hafiz Jantan is the fastest man in the region when he clinched the 100m gold in 10.38s. Other gold medal winners were Nauraj Singh Randhawa (men’s high jump), Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian (110m hurdles), Irfan Shamsuddin (men’s discus) and Elaine Goh Ling Yin (women’s 10,000m walk).
“We will use this year’s Sea Games and other meets in deciding the winners of the MAF Awards. It will be annual affair and it is one way of recognising the contributions of our athletes,” said Karim. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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