BJSS ATHLETICS

ATHLETICS: Aiming to make amends 

PRIDE: Formidable 4x400m quartet being groomed to make good in Myanmar after Palembang embarrassment.

A STRONG 4x400m men's relay team is being prepared to redeem Malaysian pride at the Myanmar Sea Games in December following the drug scandal debacle two years ago.

Three of the four athletes who were stripped of the relay gold medal in Palembang in 2011 are in the running for a tilt at redemption later this year and they will be joined by a fourth athlete next month.

Anchois Aron, a 400m bronze medallist for Sabah at the 2012 Malaysia Games, will arrive in Bukit Jalil in March to strengthen a relay team which also comprises S. Kannathasan, Szchuan Ahmad Rosely and P. Yuvaraaj.

National chief coach K. Jayabalan is confident the quartet are strong enough to win gold again, this time legitimately.

"We have good 400m runners and I think we can win the gold medal in the relay. It's also a matter of pride for us after what happened in 2011," said Jayabalan in reference to the positive drugs test of Yunus Lasaleh.
"The 4x400m is one event where we are targeting gold. Szchuan did well today (Saturday) and next month Anchois will arrive from Sabah and we can start preparing them for the Sea Games."

Yunus was banned for two years and the quartet stripped of the gold medal thus reducing Malaysia's haul from six to five gold in athletics.

Subsequently, Yunus was absolved of blame by an independent inquiry into the circumstances leading to his positive test as its report put the blame on a Bulgarian doctor hired by the then-Malaysian Athletic Union deputy president Karim Ibrahim.

Szchuan won the 600m final in 1:21.50s at the Kuala Lumpur Throws, Jumps and Under-distance competition at the National Sports Complex mini stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

Former national runner S. Mathialagan, thought to have retired, surprised everyone by turning up to finish second for the Navy in 1:23.16.

National women's steeplechase record holder Melinder Kaur, another athlete who announced her retirement last year, finished third in the women's 3,000m.

"Maybe they are planning to come out of retirement, but I don't know. They have not said anything though I've seen Melinder training here," said Jayabalan.

"It would be good for us if they plan to come back because they retired while still young and they are talented athletes."

The one-day meet merely served as a warm-up for tougher competitions ahead in the run-up to the Sea Games with several national athletes including Jironi Riduan, Ahmad Luth Hamizan, Robani Hassan and K. Ganthimanthi taking the opportunity to stretch their limbs.

National 4x400m men’s relay team will comprise (from left) S. Kannathasan, Schzuan Ahmad Rosely and P. Yuvaraaj with newcomer Anchois Aron is expected to join the training in March.

http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/athletics-aiming-to-make-amends-1.220300