ATHLETICS / MSSM CHAMPIONSHIPS: Azly, Jonathan Serve Notice

HIGH jumpers are a special breed, one in which Malaysia have never been short of and so it proved at the Malaysian Schools Athletic Championships in Kangar.

Sarawak’s Jonathan won the Under-15 high jump gold. 

  Azly Ghazali came within a whisker of breaking Lee Hup Wei’s 2.15m record from 2005 in the boys’ Under-18 event while Jonanthan Tinggang did manage the feat but in the Under-15 event on Friday.

  Selangor’s Azly won gold with a 2.10m clearance but failed at 2.16m to leave the championships without the record.

With a personal best of 2.13m, his performance at the Utama Stadium however is good enough to rival national back-up athletes Navraj Singh and S. Navinraj.

“I hope I have done enough to get into the national programme,” said Azly, who claimed silver in Ipoh last year.

“I was confident of winning and I was hoping to get the record too but luck was not on my side. I know I can do better and my target is to first challenge the back-up athletes.”

Jonathan of Sarawak was similarly bullish after improving on the old record of 1.95m held by Johor’s Poh Yu Shen since 2005 by 0.01m.

The athlete from Bintulu is also targeting Hup Wei’s record when he moves up to the Under-18 category next year after winning the Under-15 high jump gold for a second successive year.

“This is the second time I’ve won the high jump and I’m pleased to have also got the record. I had been preparing hard for this meet and it has paid off.

“Next year, I’m going for the Under-18 record. I know I have to work hard but my aim is to go as high as 2.20m,” said the ambitious Jonathan.

With Hup Wei paving the way as he bids to qualify for his second successive Olympic Games, the future for Malaysian high jump is bright indeed.

Read more: ATHLETICS / MSSM CHAMPIONSHIPS: Azly, Jonathan serve notice - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/athletics-mssm-championships-azly-jonathan-serve-notice-1.88119#ixzz1wEHEmBVl