BJSS ATHLETICS

 

 

Nirosh wants to blaze the tracks like his idol Jegathesan

 

KUANTAN: N. Nirosh Kumar (pic) wants to emulate the success of former sprint king Tan Sri Dr Mani Jegathesan after clocking a personal best of 22.14 to win the 200m gold medal in the boys’ Under-18 category in the National Schools (MSSM) Athletics Championships at Darul Makmur Stadium here yesterday.

Johor’s Nasharuddin Mohamed (22.42) took the silver while Malacca’s Mohd Azam Masri, who won the 100m, 400m and 4x100m, could only clock 22.48 for the bronze.

Nirosh, a Form Five Student of Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), is glad that his decision to skip the 100m and concentrate on the 200m had paid off handsomely.

“I conserved my energy for the 200m and I’m happy I won it with a personal best time. I also improved on my personal best in the heats when I clocked 22.31,” said the well-built Nirosh, whose previous personal best was 22.34.

Nirosh, who is trained by coach Tan Kok Lim, is dead set on becoming a sprint king – just like his idol Jegathesan.

“I believe that I have the strength, stamina and speed to be the sprint king in Asia. But I also know that to be like Jegathesan, I have to train really hard,” he said.

Jegathesan is fondly referred to as the “Flying Doctor” for blazing the tracks in Asia during his heyday. He was the fastest man in Asia after winning three golds – in 100m, 200m and 4x100m – in the 1966 Bangkok Asian Games.

Jegathesan also featured in three Olympics – Rome (1960), Tokyo (1964) and Mexico (1968) – and still holds the 200m record of 20.92, which he set in the semi-finals of the Mexico Olympics.
“I’ll give my full attention to athletics after I finish my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams in November,” said Nirosh.

Fathin Faqihan Mohd Yusuf of Sabah, who will be competing in the 400m in the World Youth Championships in Ukraine from July 10-14, was far from pleased despite winning her second gold in the 200m of the girls’ Under-18 category in 25.22.

Shereen Vallabouy, the daughter of former international Samson, won her first gold in girls’ Under-15 category after clocking 25.76 in the 200m event.

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2013/5/24/sports/13152921&sec=sports