# High jumper sets new national record at the Singapore National Stadium
# Clears 2,29m with his first jump to equal Olympic qualifying mark
By Rizal Abdullah
The National Stadium in Kallang, Singapore will be long remembered by national high jumper Nauraj Singh Randhawa who soared to new heights in his high jump career on Thursday in the Singapore Open Athletics Championships.
The 24-year-old from Johor Bahru cleared 2.29m, with his first jump and there was no looking back for Nauraj who previous personal best was 2.26m.
He not only won the men’s high jump gold in the Singapore meet but also achieved a “double sweet” on his way to the historic achievement.
Nauraj is the first Malaysian high jumper to qualify for the Olympics on merit after equalling the qualifying mark. He also erased Lee Hup Wei’s previous national record of 2.27m set in the China Open in Beijing in 2008.
Nauraj has been scaling new heights in his high jump career and during a recent training cum competition stint in Australia came out tops in four meets.
There is no doubt that he has shown vast improvement under coach Alex Stewart during his stint in Australia.
The lanky Nauraj, who gave up hockey and switch to athletics, believes that he is on the right path in his athletics career.
Nauraj hopes to return to Australia for another training stint before the Olympics. He also believes that he can improve further on his present mark.
His long time coach Alim Ahmejanov has returned to his native Uzbekistan for good after guiding the Malaysian high jump talent for eight years.
“I had a father-son relationship with Alim,” said Nauraj.
