Women's 100m: Tokyo Olympics can be turning point for Azreen Nabila - Nazmizan

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 -- National woman sprinter Azreen Nabila Alias can use the knowledge and experience gained from her Olympic debut in Tokyo later this month as a turning point in her fledgling career.

Former national and Southeast Asian sprint king Nazmizan Muhammad feels that the opportunity to compete against the world's best at the prestigious Games would help make the 21-year-old Azreen Nabila a better and more complete athlete.

Nazmizan, who won the men’s 100 metres (m) and 200m gold medals at the 2003 Hanoi SEA Games, admitted that Azreen Nabila still has a long way to go and that competing in her first Olympics would give her invaluable exposure.

“Although those going to the Olympics are of world-class standard, it is not impossible for Azreen Nabila to achieve something… perhaps improving on her personal best. I prefer to look at the Olympic Games as a turning point in her career to further improve her character.

“Perhaps five years from now she might win the gold medal at the SEA Games and be able to provide a stiff challenge at the Asian Games. So, the Olympics can be seen as the best platform for her towards that direction,” he told Bernama today.

Azreen Nabila qualified for the women’s 100m dash in Tokyo after being picked by the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) to receive the wild card slot following the success of national high jumper Lee Hup Wei in qualifying on merit.

The Terengganu-born Azreen Nabila had stunned her more illustrious compatriots S. Komalam Shally of Perak and Johor’s Siti Fatimah Mohamad to win the blue riband event at the Malaysia Grand Prix (GP) in April in 12.00 seconds (s).

Azreen Nabila has a personal best of 11.81s which she recorded at the 2018 Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Perak. 

“It’s not impossible for her to record a personal best of between 11.60s and 11.70s there (in Tokyo),” said Nazmizan, 40, who competed in the 200m event as a wild card at the 2004 Athens Olympics in Greece.

Meanwhile, Nazmizan, who is now the Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) Sports Centre deputy director, felt that the MAF had made the right call in sending Azreen Nabila to Tokyo despite some disputing the decision.

Given the injury suffered by Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli, 27, and the ages of several other sprinters, Nazmizan feels that none of the other women sprinters deserved the slot.

He believes that with continuous hard work, Azreen Nabila could go on to become the country’s top woman sprinter. 

“We still have Komalam and Siti Fatimah but they are both 33 and 35 respectively. So, they have about two to three more years before they retire. That leaves only leaves Azreen…,” said Nazmizan.

He also advised Azreen Nabila to quickly acclimatise herself with the conditions in Tokyo so that she would be able to focus on achieving her objectives. 

“Don’t be nervous and don’t feel small. Always aim big and, most importantly, don’t think you cannot do it. Instead, give your best and follow every detail that has been planned,” he said.

The Tokyo Olympics will be from July 23-Aug 8.

-- BERNAMA