Caption: Md Noor Firdaus Ar-Rasyid Hj Mohd Idris (C) during a training session yesterday at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas. Picture: Yee Chun Leong
Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
MD NOOR Firdaus Ar-Rasyid Hj Mohd Idris is looking to sprint to a new national record in the men’s 200-metre event at the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.
He set the national record of 21.64 seconds, breaking the previous time of 21.77s set by Arman Hj Md Sanif in 1997, during the Malaysia Open in October last year.
He came close to bettering his best in late March during SKBD (Brunei Darussalam National Games) clocking just 0.02s slower.
Firdaus believes that the hard work put in is a good chance for him to go faster at the May 12-22 event.
“I’ve been training hard from the Brunei Open to SKBD to Singapore Open,” said Firdaus in an interview with BruSports yesterday.
“So I think I can take this opportunity to compete at the Islamic Games to break my 200m national record,” added the 21-year-old during a training session at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.
The Tutong native has set also his sights on the main goal despite having to juggle between his studies and training.
“I don’t know how much more I can achieve but I will not give up on sprinting eventhough I’m very busy with my studies and uni life,” said the KUPU SB (Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College) student.
“No matter what position I’m in, I’ll just run to my best and make myself qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. InsyaaAllah,” he added.
When asked on any other targets for this year, Firdaus replied: “It is the SEA Games (in Malaysia) for the relay team to set another national record and to make Brunei proud.”
Firdaus was part of the team together with Md Fakhri Ismail, Md Faizul Abdullah and Abdul Rahim Abdullah that set a new national record of 40.92s at the recently concluded 79th Singapore Open Track & Field Championship.
