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NEWS & EVENTS
Md Fakhri keen for new records
Monday, December 28, 2015
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National 100m record holder Md Fakhri Ismail is confident to improve his performance in the upcoming tournaments. BT file


NATIONAL 100m record holder Md Fakhri Ismail is looking forward to improve his performance in the tournaments next year.

"Alhamdulillah, it has been a really great year for me. However I'm looking to achieve better results next year," said Md Fakhri in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.

"I am really happy with my performance so far as I managed to break the national record twice. "Hopefully I can join more tournaments next year to improve my performance and also my time," he added.

The national sprinter was the holder of the old national record of 10.61s, which he set at the Perak Open Athletics Championships in May. Md Fakhri then set another new record at Singapore's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in June after he ran 10.59s in the heats.

He reached another milestone for the sultanate when he became the first Bruneian to qualify for the heats of the 100-metre event - in which he raced with Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt in the same round - after he finished third in the preliminary round with a time of 10.73 seconds at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing last August.

"For me, competing in the World Athletics Championship was one of the most unforgettable experience because I was the first Bruneian to ever progress into the heats," he said. "Furthermore, I managed to race with Usain Bolt, it was really unbelievable," continued the 24-year-old.

Last month, Md Fakhri alongside Maizurah Abdul Rahim and Tiara Shahril Anwar was awarded a scholarship by the International Olympic Council (IOC) through the Olympic Solidarity Programme, and will receive US$1,000 each month to help with their training from November 2015 to July 2015 in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympics in August next year.

"I'm so grateful to be selected at one of the athletes, hopefully I can do well in it," said the national sprinter. Md Fakhri however expressed his concern about the lack of junior athletes for the national athletic team. "Hopefully with my achievements, it could attract more people to join and try the sport," he said.

"Currently we are lacking young athletes, hopefully more people will join next year," Md Fakhri concluded.

According to the country's sprint king, public who is interested to join the sport, can join the Department of Youth and Sports (JBS) training scheme from Monday to Thursday and Saturday at the Belapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas from 4pm to 6pm.

Courtesy from Brunei Times