Kuala lumpur: National sprinter Muhammad Azeem Fahmi believes he has reached a stage where each time he takes to the track, it should be to secure a podium finish and no longer about gaining exposure or experience.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azeem has set himself a target of finishing in the top three when he competes at the First Asian Under-23 Athletics Championships 2026 in Ordos, China, from July 9-12. Azeem, as he prefers to be called, stressed that this mentality to be among the podium finishers will serve as a new benchmark at every meet he competes in.
He admitted that he's had enough of viewing participation on the international stage as merely for exposure, and instead wants to fight for glory and bring back a medal every time he's in action. 'Enough with experience and about the lessons that I need to learn from others. It's time for me to just run, get on the podium and win as many medals as I can every single time I set my foot on the track,' he boldly declared to reporters at the National Sports Council (NSC) here today.
Azeem, who only recently returned home after spending four years pursuing higher education and undergoing training in the United States, said he aims to apply the experience and knowledge he has gained for the benefit of the national squad. The 22-year-old will compete in the 100 metres (m) and 200m races, as well as the 4x100m relay event at the Asian Under-23 Athletics Championships, which will be held at the Sport Development Centre Stadium in Ordos.
"My coach and I decided that I should run in only two individual events, the 100m and 200m, and help the 4x100m relay team. It's been quite some time since I ran both the 100m and 200m events at a single meet, but I am more than ready. For the Ordos meet, we also want to clock the season's best, especially in the 200m event. We don't want to be too bullish as our ultimate goal is the Asian Games (in Japan from Sept 19-Oct 4),' he said.
Azeem said that since the Ordos meet features Asia's best Under-23 sprinters, it would be the best platform to gauge his capabilities ahead of the Asiad. The other Malaysian sprinters listed for the 4x100m event are Reeve Kua Man Hong, Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam and Muhammad Armin Zahryl.
Meanwhile, Azeem has welcomed the appointment of Thabo Matebedi as Malaysia's new sprint coach, saying the South African's training programme is almost similar to that designed by his current American coach, Ken Harnden. Azeem added that, based on information he received, Matebedi is a world-class coach who used to train some athletes he (Azeem) knew during his stay in the United States.