The Star 11.04.2015
BY AFTAR SINGH
Mohd Syazwan cleared 2.06m in the high jump to claim the gold medal in the 10th South-East Asian (SEA) Youth Athletics Championships at the National Sports Council (NSC) ground in Bukit Jalil. - BRIAN MOH / The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: High jumper Mohd Syazwan Ahmad is one tough cookie.
Not even an ankle injury could stop him from taking the gold medal in the 10th South-East Asian (SEA) Youth Athletics Championships at the National Sports Council (NSC) ground in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.
The 17-year-old Syazwan cleared 2.06m to retain the gold medal which he won in Myanmar last year.
The win has enabled the Kuala Lumpur-born athlete to qualify for both the Asean Schools Athletics Championships in Brunei in November and the World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia from July 15-19. The qualifying mark for both the events are 2.06m.
The Form Five student of Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), however, was far from satisfied with his efforts.
He had asked for the bar to be raised to 2.11m as he wanted to better his personal best of 2.10m, which he did at the Selangor Open last year.
But Syazwan failed in all three attempts.
"I could have improved on my personal best if not for the ankle injury, which I suffered two weeks ago during training. I tried hard but just couldn't do it," said Syazwan.
The Malaysian contingent did well to win five golds, eight silvers and three bronzes on the first day of the Under-17 meet.
Asnawi Hashim won the boys' 100m final in 11.04, finishing ahead of Indonesian sprinters Ogas Agfreansa (11.06) and Burhan Wardhani (11.11).
The Form Five Student of Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) was delighted to win the gold but disappointed at failing to improve on his personal best of 10.98, which he did at the Terengganu Open last month.
"I made good progress because last year I could only manage the bronze in the event in Myanmar. I'll go all out tomorrow to bag the double in the 200m as well," said the Malacca-born, who has a personal best of 22.10.
Asnawi also bagged a silver in the boys' 4x400m relay in 3:21.40.
Malaysia's other gold medallist were Asif Rahman Jiyaudden (boys' 800m in 1:57.37); Intan Sarah Zulgafli (girls' 100m hurdles in 14.87); and Nor Amy Lieyna Ismail (girls' long jump event 5.13m).
Thailand topped the first-day medal haul with six golds, one silver and three bronzes
