KUALA LUMPUR: National sports legend, Datuk Marina Chin, described the sensational success of national sprinter, Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi, at the 2026 Asian Under-23 Athletics Championships on Thursday (July 9) as a new benchmark for the country’s athletics.
She said Azeem’s achievement not only proves the capability of Malaysian athletes to compete at a higher level, but also motivates the next generation of athletes to surpass the standard set by the 22-year-old runner.
“I feel he has set a high baseline for Malaysia. This is a good thing because we now have junior athletes with potential, and they have a baseline to beat.
“He serves as both a challenge and a motivation for young athletes. If Azeem can do it, why can’t they?” she told reporters after attending the Athlete Preparation Committee Meeting for the 34th SEA Games and 14th ASEAN Para Games Malaysia 2027 at the National Sports Council here today.
On Thursday, Azeem created a sensation when he captured the gold medal in the 100-meter (m) event of the 2026 Asian U-23 Athletics Championships in Ordos, China, clocking a time of 10.17 seconds (s).
Meanwhile, Marina noted that one of the key factors aiding Azeem’s development was the opportunity to train alongside some of the world’s best athletes in the United States during his studies at Auburn University.
She said that if more local athletes could receive such high-quality training exposure – whether abroad or through comparable programmes within Malaysia – the country would be capable of producing more international-class runners.
In the meantime, when commenting on expectations for Azeem ahead of the Asian Games, Marina declined to set a specific target, fearing it would put undue pressure on the Perak-born athlete.
“I am the type of person who never sets targets because I believe we shouldn’t disturb the athlete’s mindset. As a former athlete, I know how immense the pressure is when people talk about targets.
“My message is simple: do your best. If you do your best, the results will come naturally. Azeem is still young and there is still so much more he can achieve,” she said.
Meanwhile, Marina, who was recently appointed as a member of the High-Performance Committee, said she will leverage her experience as a former athlete, coach, and sports administrator to help identify and resolve issues that athletes and associations might face before they become more serious.
She added that among the aspects requiring close attention is the planning of sports association programmes, ensuring they are realistic and aligned with financial capabilities without compromising athlete development. – BERNAMA
