KUALA LUMPUR – Should Shereen Samson Vallabouy consider switching to the 100m to secure a spot at the next Olympic Games?
Robert Ballard, the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) technical director, believes that if the national sprinter transitions from her speciality, the 400m, she might have a chance of qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
This suggestion comes after MAF decided to award the coveted universality slot, or wild card, for this year’s Paris Olympics to sprinter Muhammad Azeem Fahmi over Shereen.
The decision followed careful consideration of both Azeem, a 20-year-old 100m sprint sensation, and Shereen, the nation’s 400m champion, as neither qualified for the Olympics on merit.
Under new World Athletics regulations, which reserve the universal slot for athletes in the 100m, 800m and marathon, the decision favoured Azeem.
Azeem has since expressed his support for Shereen, urging her not to be disheartened after missing out on the wild card spot.
Speaking to Scoop, Ballard said it would not be impossible for Shereen to change her event, citing examples of other athletes, such as the American Fred Kerley, who had done so to improve their chances of qualifying for the Olympics.
Kerley is a two-time 4x400m world champion (Doha 2019 and Budapest 2023) who transitioned to the 100m in 2020 at the age of 25.
He recently qualified for the Paris Olympics after clocking 9.88sec to finish third at the US track and field trials last month.
“We had this philosophical question with Shereen’s coach, Derrick White, some time ago, wondering if there could be a time when we might do what some other athletes have done,” said Ballard when contacted.
“For example, Fred Kerley, who was a world champion in the 400m, later decided to run in the 100m and is now heading to Paris.
“It’s possible, as Shereen is fast and holds the 200m record, so I certainly wouldn’t count out the possibility that she could change her event,” he added.
In addition to her athletic pursuits, Shereen is a student at Winona State University in the United States and one of the high-profile athletes slated to participate in this year’s Asean University Games (AUG) by the Higher Education Ministry.
At the ongoing AUG in Surabaya-Malang, Shereen contributed two gold medals to the national contingent, winning the women’s 400m and the 4x400m relay with teammates Mandy Goh Li, Frenynila Sherly Lucius and Chelsea Cassiopea Evali Bopulas. – July 7, 2024