KUALA LUMPUR — The competition intensifies to select between sprint sensations Muhammad Azeem Fahmi and Shereen Samson Vallabouy for the Paris Olympics wild card slot as the decision day on July 2 draws near.
Under new World Athletics regulations, which reserve the universal slot for athletes from the 100m, 800m, and marathon events, the decision ideally favours Azeem.
Despite two meetings, the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) has yet to reach a consensus.
A press conference led by president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim at Parliament on Thursday ended without a decision.
Sources indicate that Shereen is currently the front-runner due to several strategic reasons.
She has excelled across various distances, particularly in the 400m, and has shown strong potential in shorter sprints such as the 100m and 200m.
Shereen holds Malaysia’s records for both the 400m (51.79 seconds) and the 200m (23.33s).
In the 100m, she achieved a personal best of 11.87s last April at the Pure Athletics Elite Invitational in Florida.
Although she clocked 11.61s in the final round of the same event, it wasn’t officially recognised due to timing issues.
“These achievements are pivotal factors for the MAF board members as they consider their decision, alongside medical evaluations, potential, and other considerations,” said the highly-placed source to Scoop.
At 26 years old, Shereen will be nearing 30 by the time the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics come around, while Azeem, aged 20, benefits from youth with four more years for development.
Notably, MAF board members convening this Tuesday will cast their votes to determine who will represent Malaysia in Paris with Shahidan having the final say. – June 30, 2024