KUALA LUMPUR – Nazmizan Mohamad, former Southeast Asian sprint champion, is calling on the Malaysia Athletics Federation (MAF) to ensure fairness in selecting support staff for national sensation runner Muhammad Azeem Fahmi at this month’s Paris Olympics.
Nazmizan’s concern stems from past instances where Malaysian athletes competed without dedicated coaches at major sports events.
During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, sprinter Azreen Nabila Alias raced solo in the women’s 100m, managing to advance through the preliminary round before bowing out in the first round.
Similarly, at Rio 2016, Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli also competed without a coach.
Both athletes were trained by M. Balamurugan, who was not allowed to accompany them to the Olympics.
Nazmizan himself experienced this issue when he competed in the 200m event at the Athens 2004 Olympics without a coach, as MAF leadership at that time preferred to send an official from the governing body instead.
Thus, Nazmizan hopes that MAF will not repeat past mistakes and will select either Ken Harnden, Azeem’s coach from Auburn, USA, or his former coach, Muhammad Amir Izwan Tan Abdullah, to accompany Azeem to Paris.
“I think it’s important to provide accreditation to his coach, whether Harnden or his former coach, Amir.
“Amir coached him as a teenager and understands Azeem inside out.
“When I competed in Athens, I had to manage everything on my own. For Azeem, despite his experience in international competitions and competing against runners who can run under 10 seconds in the United States, having a coach present will provide him with peace of mind.
“The coach will not only provide necessary technical advice but also act as a friend and motivator to assist him emotionally and psychologically.
“Whether it’s Harnden or Amir, their presence alongside Azeem is crucial. If someone else is chosen, they may not understand Azeem’s specific needs,” said Nazmizan to Scoop.
Azeem, 20, has just finished representing Malaysia at the Asean University Games (AUG) in Surabaya, where he won three gold medals.
He is now scheduled to fly to Stuttgart, Germany, to attend a central training camp organised by Harnden, along with three of his teammates, Favour Ashe, Kayinsola Ajayi, and Makanakishe Charamba, who have also qualified for the Paris Games. – July 6, 2024