Pelari pecut negara, Haiqal Hanafi, menunaikan janjinya untuk mempertahankan pingat emas acara 100 meter milik Malaysia dalam Sukan SEA Filipina apabila mengungguli acara reben biru itu di Stadium Olahraga New Clark City hari ini.
Pelari muda sensasi itu pada awalnya tidak terpilih untuk ke temasya itu, namun Kesatuan Olahraga Malaysia (KOM) meletakkan namanya selaku pengganti kepada Zulfiqar Ismail pada saat-saat akhir.
Keputusan itu ternyata berbaloi apabila pelari berusia 20 tahun berkenaan mempamerkan larian bertenaga untuk mencatatkan masa 10.35 saat untuk mempertahankan pingat emas yang diraih Khairul Hafiz Jantan di Kuala Lumpur dua tahun lalu.
"Alhamdulillah, syukur, terima kasih kepada ibu bapa, keluarga, jurulatih dan semua rakyat Malaysia yang telah mendoakan saya.
"Kejayaan ini untuk anda Malaysia.
"Kekalahan dalam saringan pertama bukanlah tekanan kerana fokus saya (ketika itu) hanya untuk ke final.
"Alhamdulillah, saya membuktikannya dalam final.
"Rahsia kejayaan saya ialah solat lima waktu, solat hajat sebelum tidur dan banyak berdoa kepada Allah supaya diizinkan untuk murah rezeki," katanya.
Dua pelari Thailand, Kpl. Sowan Ruttanapan (10.49s) dan Chuangchai Bandit (10.52), masing-masing memenangi pingat perak dan gangsa.
Seorang lagi pelari negara, Jonathan Nyepa, keempat dengan catatan 10.60s.
Penulis Jemputan
Sun Dec 08 2019
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