KUALA LUMPUR – When sprint sensation Muhammad Azeem Fahmi was dubbed the “Usain Bolt of Malaysia” in 2022 at just 17-years-old, he was not particularly fond of the title.
Although the nickname was given due to Azeem’s potential to become the fastest runner in the country, the Perak-born athlete wanted to carve out and stand on his own achievements without being overshadowed by any individual.
However, the young sprinter might draw insights from Bolt’s experience after Azeem’s recent debut in Paris did not unfold as expected.
Azeem, selected by the Malaysia Athletics Federation for the Paris Olympics under a universality slot (formerly known as a wild card), was unable to seize the opportunity to compete on the advanced Mondo track and improve his personal best of 10.09sec.
Mondo, the company behind the track, claimed that athletes could run up to 2% faster than on the Tokyo 2020 track, a statement supported by the numerous world records set at the Stade de France.
During the blue ribbon final, all eight sprinters finished under 10sec, with two national records broken, two seasonal bests improved and one personal best achieved.
However, Azeem was unable to make the most of competing on such a high-tech track, as his journey in Paris ended in the first round with a time of 10.45sec.
In the qualifying round, he recorded 10.42sec, a considerable distance from his personal best.
Ironically, Bolt, who still holds the title of the fastest man in the world, also had a challenging debut at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
At just 17-years-old, Bolt competed in the 200m but was eliminated in the first round, finishing fifth in his heat with a time of 21.05sec after suffering a hamstring injury.
However, the Jamaican star bounced back four years later at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won the gold medal in the 100m with a world-record time of 9.69sec.
This victory marked Jamaica’s first title in the event and their first medal since 1976.
He also redeemed his Athens setback by winning gold in the 200m with another world record of 19.30sec.
Realistically, it may be challenging for Azeem to reach the heights achieved by Bolt, but he can at least aim to follow in the Jamaican sprinter’s footsteps by making a comeback and silencing his critics.
Currently, Azeem has already established himself as the fastest runner in the country. Moving forward, to be among the best in Asia, he will need to intensify his efforts to join the “Sub-10 Club” in Asia.
This prestigious group is currently limited to a few elite sprinters, including Su Bingtian and Xie Zhenye (China), Yuki Koike, Yoshihide Kiryu, Ryota Yamagata, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (Japan) and Yupun Abeykoon (Sri Lanka). – August 10, 2024
