Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
THERE is still plenty of work to be done after Brunei’s performance at the 12th SEA Youth Athletics Championships in the Philippines.
Mohammad Efwan Asmalee started Brunei’s campaign on Monday in the men’s 800m event where he placed at the end of the seven-participant race with a time of 2:24.86 at the City of Ilagan Sports Complex, Isabela.
Indonesia’s Wempy Pelamonia finished at the top of the podium with a new meet record of 1:55.72.
Thiruben Thana Rajan of Singapore came in second on1:57.07 while Malaysia’s Mohammad Amirul Arif Mohd Azri was third with a time of 1:58.06.
Ak Muhd Hazim Harith Pg Fadzil was the other Bruneian representative at the two-day competition and he finished at the end of the seven-competitor field in the men’s 400m event clocking 57.91s.
Ifan Anugrah Setiawan of Indonesia won the event crossing the line with a time of 48.44s.
Malaysia’s Muhammad Ilham Suhaimi followed in second on 48.93s while Rajan completed the podium clocking 49.05s.
Assistant coach Maqnun Wahab remains positive and is looking at the bigger picture considering both KB-based runners were making their debut on the international stage.
“Eventhough the boys came in last place during the SE Youth competition but at least they gained experience,” said Maqnun yesterday.
“I can see from their reactions that they are more keen and more motivated to come back to train and improve even more now that they have experienced competing abroad,” he added.
Caption: Md Adenin Bolhan (L) and Maizurah Abdul Rahim (C) in a photo with Brunei Darussalam Athletics Federation (BDAF) treasurer Pg Azlan before departure to the Philippines yesterday. Picture: Courtesy of BDAF
The duo will now shift their focus to the 2017 Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championships starting today at the same venue.
They are joined by Rio Olympian Maizurah Abdul Rahim, who will compete in the women’s heptathlon, and Md Adenin Bolhan, who will contest in both the shot put and discus events, at the March 30 - April 2 competition.
