Khairul Hafiz Jantan clocked 10.34 seconds in the 100m en route to a gold medal at the Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Amateur Athletics Association (FTKLAA)-MILO 2018 All Comers Championship in Bukit Jalil on Sunday.
It was the first competitive appearance of the 100m and 200m national record holder in seven months, after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
The 19-year-old said his participation in the meet was to regain competitiveness after a long rest, and as a warm-up ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, next month.
"The meet was to regain the feel of running the 100m because I have just recovered from injury," he said.
"This is my first meet [since my injury] and, thank God, I was able to record 10.34s, and I am grateful to my coach [Poad Kassim].
"With this time recorded, I will be more enthusiastic and double my efforts at training so that I can reach the final of the 100m event at the Commonwealth Games."
In addition to reaching the final in Gold Coast, the Melaka-born athlete is also seeking to smash his 10.18s national record set during the 2016 Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Sarawak.
"The competition at the Commonwealth Games will be very fierce, but I just want to focus on my run, and try to break the 10.18s record, or at least match it," he added.
Khairul Hafiz, nicknamed 'Speedy Jantan', ended the country's 14-year-old gold medal drought in the 100m event at KL2017, beating defending champion Eric Cray of the Philippines.
Bernama
Tue Mar 20 2018
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