Azeem gets the nod for Olympic wild card

KUALA LUMPUR: National sprinter Mohd Azeem Fahmi has been granted the sole universality ticket, also known as wild card, for the Paris Olympics.

The Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) selection panel today picked the 20-year-old to go for his Olympic debut in Paris over track queen Shereen Samson Vallabouy.

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Azeem is currently Malaysia’s fastest man in 100m and holds the national record of 10.09s clocked two years ago.

Azeem ran 10.11s to clinch bronze in the event at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.

However, Azeem has been struggling to go under 10.3s in the 100m in recent months.

Azeem clocked a decent time of 10.37s to finish behind former world junior champion Lalu Mohd Zohri, who won the blue riband event clocking 10.19s.

Malaysia received the wildcard after both the athletes failed to make the cut for the Olympics in their respective events at the end of qualification and ranking period.

In terms of universality places, any nation that has no male or female qualified athlete will be allowed to enter their best ranked male or best ranked female athlete in either the 100m, 800m or marathon.

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Altogether, a total of 25 Malaysian athletes have qualified for Paris Olympics.

Besides Azeem, the other athletes confirmed so far are Ariana Nur Dania Mohd Zairi, Nurul Azreena Mohd Fazil and Syaqiera Mashayikh (archery); Lee Zii Jia, Goh Jin Wei, Aaron Chia-Soh Woo Yik, M. Thinaah-Pearly Tan and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (badminton); Azizulhasni Awang, Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri (track cycling); Nur Aisyah Mohd Zubir (road cycling); Johnathan Wong (shooting); Aniq Kasdan (weightlifting); Bertrand Rhodict and Nur Dhabitah Sabri (diving); Nur Shazrin Mohd Latif and Khairulnizam Afendy (sailing); Gavin Green and Ashley Lau (golf); Tan Rouxin and Khiew Hoe Yean (swimming).