The Brunei Darussalam National Athletics team. – FADHIL YUNUS
THE Brunei Darussalam National Athletics team made more history after setting a new national record with a time of 40.21s in the 4x100m finals in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium yesterday.
The national team involving Abdul Rahim Abdullah, Md Noor Firdaus Ar-rasyid Haji Md Idris, Md Faaizul Abdullah and Md Fakhri Ismail shattered their own record which they set at the Singapore Open last April which was a time of 40.92s.
The national quartet now shaved the national record twice in the space of two years having also revised the time in the last edition in Singapore.
Brunei ended in fifth place ahead of Singapore who had a quicker national record and Laos as Thailand successfully retained their title with a new SEA Games record of 38.90s eclipsing the old mark of 38.95s.
The incredulity to Thailand’s accomplishment of posting a magnificent time yielded a profound effect as it forced countries to set new national records including four others in the process.
Indonesia settled for silver with a time of 39.05 while Philippines claimed bronze with a time of 39.11s. Malaysia finished fourth with a time of 39.27s.
Philippines was backed with a formidable squad with current 200m and 400m winner Trenten Anthony Beram and multiple SEA Games winner Eric Shauwn Cray in their ranks.
However, it was Thailand who was the team to beat at the start who extended their dominance in the discipline – their sixth in the last seven editions.
The Thais has only missed out on SEA Games gold in the 4x100m relay in 2011 in recent history.
Philippines’s Anfernee Lopena was off to a good start only to be matched by Thailand’s Kristada Namsuwun’s whose opening leg the catalyst of them taking to the front of the queue.
The Thai sprinter handed the baton to Bandit Chuangchai who was eating up the back straight and was added pressure by a Laotian runner.
At this juncture, Indonesia was also establishing themselves among the pack and got into medal position and on contrast the hosts was off the pace.
Indonesia and Thailand were challenging the gold in the home front as Jaran Satnoengram provided the acceleration to bring his team onto dreamland.
The seven teams were setting their sights on the SEA Games record and the Asian record as they looked to forge their name among the record books.
