logo
Shereen eyes Asian podium in Gumi

Shereen eyes Asian podium in Gumi

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's track queen Shereen Samson Vallabouy is eyeing a podium finish in her debut at the Asian Athletics Championships which begin tomorrow at the Gumi Civic Stadium in South Korea.
Shereen has not turned out for Malaysia since winning the 400m bronze in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games by posting 52.58. She also anchored the women's 4x100m quartet to win bronze in Hangzhou.
Shereen, 26, who is training under American Derrick White in Florida, said: "I am always excited to represent Malaysia. I am hoping for a podium finish.
"The full list of runners is not out yet but I believe the challenge will be from the Indian athletes.
"I have worked very hard in training and even lost three kilogrammes. I really want to improve my timing as I have not clocked new personal best in competitions this year yet.
"There is a lot of work to do but I am confident that I will do well at the end of the year," said Shereen, who will run in the 400m heats tomorrow morning.
Shereen, who will participate in the World Championships in Tokyo in September as a wild card, holds the national record of 51.79 set last year in the US.
Shereen said her main goal in the Asian Championships is to qualify on merit for the world meet and to achieve that, she needs to clock 50.75 in competitions by the end of August.
Malaysia Athletics (MA) is also banking on Irfan Shamsuddin to win his third medal in the men's discus event at the Asian meet.
Irfan, who will be competing in his fifth Asian Championships, won silver in Bhubaneswar, India, in 2017, and bronze in Bangkok in 2023.
Irfan, 29, who did a season best of 60 metres at the Queensland Open in Melbourne in March, said that he is in good shape and hoping for an explosive throw in Gumi.
MA president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said he is hoping that the athletes will return with at least a medal from the Asian Championships. In the last Asian meet, in Bangkok in 2023, Malaysia won a bronze through Irfan Shamsuddin with a throw of 59.63m.
Malaysia's 29 athletes for the Asian championships:
Men: Jonathan Nyepa (100m, 4x100m), Khairul Hafiz Jantan (100m, 4x100m), Sayyid Amin Roslan (200m, 4x100m), Russel Alexander Nasir Taib (200m, 4x100m), Danish Iftikhar Roslee (4x100m), Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam (4x100m), Umar Oman (400m, 4x400m), Luqmanul Hakim Khairul Akmal (400m, 4x400m), Fakrul Afizul Nasir (400m hurdles, 4x400m), Wan Fazri Wan Zahari (800m, 4x400m), Anas Ariffin (1500m), Rizzua Haizad (110m hurdles), Armin Zahryl Abdul Latif (110m hurdles), Khor Jing Hong (20km walk), Irfan Shamsuddin (discus), Jonah Chang (shot putt), Naufal Shahrul Afzam (pole vault), Farrell Glenn Felix Jurus (high jump).
Women: Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Nur Afrina Batrisyia Rizal (100m, 4x100), Izzatul Musfirah Ahmad Kamal Azria (200m, 4x100m), Azreen Nabila Alias (4x100m), Nur Aishah Rofina Aling (4x100m), Shereen Samson Vallabouy (400m), Nani Sahirah Maryata (shot put), Grace Wong Xiu Mei (hammer), Nurul Hidayah Lukman (hammer), Queenie Ting Kung Ni (discus), Ng Jing Xuan (javelin).

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Golf-Oakmont's lone tree offers reprieve for sun-kissed U.S. Open fans
Golf-Oakmont's lone tree offers reprieve for sun-kissed U.S. Open fans

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Golf-Oakmont's lone tree offers reprieve for sun-kissed U.S. Open fans

Jun 11, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; General view of the on the 18th green in front of the clubhouse during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images OAKMONT, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -Shortly beyond the third tee box at Oakmont Country Club sits the only tree on the interior of the course, a stately American elm whose sprawling branches provide the only reprieve from the blaring sun at this week's U.S. Open. The 120-year-old tree may not be anywhere near as famous as Oakmont's Church Pews Bunker but it has been more popular this week for sun-kissed golf fans drawn in by the promise of shade and cool grass under its canopy. "We've been here since about 8 o'clock this morning in the sun the entire time and this is the only shade we could find," Mark Finley, a 41-year-old accountant from New Jersey, told Reuters while he set up his chair under the tree. The typical American golf course has trees, and lots of them. There was even a time when Oakmont, which opened in 1904 and this week is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, was transformed into a traditional "parkland" course with trees. Oakmont, the vision of late founder Henry C. Fownes, was originally designed as an "inland links" course styled after the open and barren nature of Britain's traditional links courses despite not being set along a large body of water. During the 1950s thousands of trees were planted and by the early 1980s the course hardly resembled its original rugged identity as trees flanked all 18 holes. But, in a bid torevive Oakmont's original links-style identity, a tree-removal process began in earnest during the mid-1990s and ultimately led to some 15,000 trees removed. While there are still trees along the outer edges of the course, the purgeleft just one remaining on the interior of the layout. The tree does not come into play, leaving the layout effectively treeless. Devin Gee, head professional at Oakmont, told Reuters the tree at the Oakmont's third hole has not only escaped weather-related damage but has never been suggested for removal. "I wouldn't say it's because people think it's such a magnificent tree," said Gee. "It doesn't come into play, it doesn't come into line of flight or the way the hole plays in any way whatsoever. "But it's left standing, it's just sort of been the one that made it through for sure." For golf fans looking to get their souvenir U.S. Open pin flag signed by the likes of world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, the tree is serving as the perfect waiting area. "It's a pretty nice day out, pretty hot, sun is beating down on us a little bit so to get out of the sun we came over here for shade and are waiting to see if we can get an autograph," said Rocco Jerrome, a 15-year-old golf fan from West Virginia. (Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Toby Davis)

Fritz beats Halys to march into Stuttgart quarters
Fritz beats Halys to march into Stuttgart quarters

New Straits Times

time6 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Fritz beats Halys to march into Stuttgart quarters

STUTTGART, Germany: American second seed Taylor Fritz stepped up his Wimbledon preparations as he swept aside Frenchman Quentin Halys with a 6-3 7-6(6) victory to advance into the Stuttgart Open quarter-finals on Wednesday. The world number seven banged down 12 aces and struck 32 winners in the one hour and 23 minute contest. The 27-year-old, a twice quarter-finalist at Wimbledon, will next face Hungarian Marton Fucsovics at the ATP 250 event. Fucsovics beat France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(4) 6-3 to book a place in the quarters. American third seed Ben Shelton also prevailed against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6(4) 7-5 in 50 minutes to move into the quarters. The 22-year-old world number 12 will next take on either Czech eighth seed Jiri Lehecka or German Jan-Lennard Struff. "I'm really happy. Happy to get my first win here in Stuttgart," Shelton said. "I thought I played great in the big moments today down the stretch and I'm just really happy to be back on the grass competing. "It's a completely different game, playing on this surface and hopefully I can get better and better as this week goes."

Tennis-Fritz beats Halys to march into Stuttgart quarters
Tennis-Fritz beats Halys to march into Stuttgart quarters

The Star

time6 hours ago

  • The Star

Tennis-Fritz beats Halys to march into Stuttgart quarters

STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) -American second seed Taylor Fritz stepped up his Wimbledon preparations as he swept aside Frenchman Quentin Halys with a 6-3 7-6(6) victory to advance into the Stuttgart Open quarter-finals on Wednesday. The world number seven banged down 12 aces and struck 32 winners in the one hour and 23 minute contest. The 27-year-old, a twice quarter-finalist at Wimbledon, will next face Hungarian Marton Fucsovics at the ATP 250 event. Fucsovics beat France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(4) 6-3 to book a place in the quarters. American third seed Ben Shelton also prevailed against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6(4) 7-5 in 50 minutes to move into the quarters. The 22-year-old world number 12 will next take on either Czech eighth seed Jiri Lehecka or German Jan-Lennard Struff. "I'm really happy. Happy to get my first win here in Stuttgart," Shelton said. "I thought I played great in the big moments today down the stretch and I'm just really happy to be back on the grass competing. "It's a completely different game, playing on this surface and hopefully I can get better and better as this week goes." (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru;Editing by Christian Radnedge)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store