Another chance to qualify for Games

KUALA LUMPUR: Time is running out for track and field athletes to qualify for the Korat SEA Games.

They have until the end of the month to meet the marks for the Games, which are scheduled to be held from Dec 6-15.

To date, 12 athletes and the 4x100m team have made the grade.

The Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union (MAAU) Open championships, starting today at Stadium Utama in Kangar, will provide opportunities for athletes to qualify for the biennial Games.

But Manila SEA Games 100m hurdles gold medallist Moh Siew Wei (pic) has opted out of the meet for fear of aggravating her injuries.

The 29-year-old, who has been suffering knee injuries since last year, competed in the Asian Track and Field (ATF) championships in Amman in July and clocked 13.68 for fourth place. The Games qualifying mark is 13.58.

The MAAU coaching and development committee chairman, Karim Ibrahim, said: “Even if she does not meet the qualifying mark, we will still recommend her for selection for the Games because she is still the best hurdler in the region today.”

At the Manila Games, Siew Wei beat favourite Tricia Roberts of Thailand.

Karim said that 110m hurdler Mohd Robani Hassan had also opted out of the MAAU Open because of a hamstring injury.

But Robani has qualified for the Games.

“We hope more athletes, especially those who have won medals in the last SEA Games, will qualify for the Games,” he said.

Among the medallists of the last Games who have yet to meet the qualifying marks are 400m hurdler Shahadan Jamaluddin and long jumper Mohd Syahrul Amri.

Besides Robani, the others who have made it for the individual events are 400m hurdler Noraseela Khalid; high jumpers Lee Hup Wei and Ahmad Najwan; pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu; triple jumper Ngew Sin Mei; hammer thrower Siti Shahida Abdullah; 1,500mm runner M. Vadivellan and four walkers – Yuan Yuafang, Mohd Shahrulhaizy Abdul Rahman, Loo Choon Sieng and B. Thirukumaran.

Star