KUALA LUMPUR – There should be no debate over who should receive the wild card for the Paris Olympics, whether Muhammad Azeem Fahmi or Shereen Samson Vallabouy.
Speaking to Scoop, former Southeast Asian sprint champion Nazmizan Mohamad finds it strange that such a debate has arisen, especially since it is clear under the new rules set by World Athletics that the wild card, now known as the universal slot, is only given to athletes in the 100m, 800m, and marathon events.
Nazmizan does not discount Shereen’s contributions and achievements this year, including breaking the national record in the women’s 400m twice.
However, he believes the slot should rightfully go to Azeem based on the established rules.
Despite Azeem’s struggle to achieve faster times and approach his personal best of 10.09 seconds, which is also a national record, Nazmizan does not find Azeem’s current performance level concerning.
Azeem’s time of 10.24 seconds at the Qosanov Memorial Athletics Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, last Saturday is still regarded as a commendable performance, earning him a bronze medal at the championship.
“For me, this shouldn’t even be a debate because it’s clear under the established rules that Azeem should fill the wild card slot designated for the 100m.
“In my opinion, all parties, including MAF, need to make a decisive decision. This doesn’t mean we’re underestimating Shereen’s abilities; she has achieved many remarkable things for Malaysia over the years, but we must respect the existing rules.
“Therefore, there shouldn’t be a choice between picking Azeem or Shereen, since the slot is specifically allocated for the 100m event,” said Nazmizan, who competed in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
Last March, MAF technical director Robert Ballard explained that if any national athlete failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics on merit, the primary choice to represent the country at the sporting event would be Azeem.
While MAF needs to convene to decide between Azeem and Shereen for the Paris Olympics, Nazmizan believes another contender, women’s sprinter Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli, should also be in the discussion.
Zaidatul, who competed in the Rio 2016 Olympics, clocked her best time this season at 11.65 seconds in the Malaysian Open.
This time surpasses Shereen’s best of 11.87 seconds in the 100m at the Pure Athletics Elite Invitational in Florida last April.
Although Shereen once ran 11.61 seconds at the same championship, the time was not officially recognised.
“If we are to have discussions, I think Zaidatul’s name should also be considered for Paris because she is a pure sprinter.”
“Even though she is 30 years old, she remains the fastest in Malaysia in women’s sprinting.
“So, I ask MAF to give fair consideration because every decision will have its consequences,” added Nazmizan. – June 26, 2024