SEA Games 2017

SEA Games: Sprint king Khairul

Hafiz Jantan is toast of
Malaysia

Malaysia's Khairul Hafiz Jantan pips Filipino Eric Cray to the 100m finish line, much to the delight of the
Bukit Jalil crowd. The 19-year-old crossed the finish line in 10.38 seconds to clinch gold in the blue-riband
event on his SEA Games debut. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Nicole Chia In Kuala Lumpur

 PUBLISHED

AUG 23, 2017, 5:00 AM SGT

In 10.38 seconds last night, Malaysian sprinter Khairul Hafiz
Jantan ended his country's 14-year wait for another men's 100m
gold.

Roared on by an estimated 15,000-strong home crowd at the Bukit

Jalil National Stadium, the 19-year-old won the blue-riband event
on his SEA Games debut, becoming the first Malaysian to win the
race since Nazmizan Muhammad's 10.47sec effort at the 2003
Games in Hanoi.

He is also the fourth sprinter of his country to win the 100m crown,
after Nazmizan, Gunaratnam Rajalingam (Bangkok 1967) and M.
Jegathesan (Kuala Lumpur 1965).

Last night's spectators had already been in high spirits, buoyed by

Malaysian Zaidatul Husniah's silver in the women's 100m.

When the starting gun for the men's 100m final went off, their
cheers reached a crescendo and peaked as their hero, arms raised,
crossed the finish line first.

He took a tumble on the track but got up almost immediately, after

which he was instantly surrounded by photographers as he
embraced his coach Poad Kassim, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib
Razak and Malaysia's Minister for Youth and Sports Khairy
Jamaluddin.

 2003
 The last time Malaysia won the men's 100m gold at the SEA
Games.

Philippine defending champion Eric Cray, 28, was second in

10.425sec, while Thailand's Kritsada Namsuwun finished third
(10.428sec).
Khairul, who holds Malaysia's 100m record (10.18sec), faced a
formidable field including 2013 winner Jirapong Meenapra, 24, and
2015 silver and bronze medallists Yaspi Boby, 29, and Iswandi, 26,
of Indonesia.

It was a race that left spectators, volunteers and officials all wanting
a piece of Khairul, as last year's Asian junior champion continued to
be mobbed by fans long after the victory ceremony.

A teary Khairul, who exchanged a hug with Cray after the race, said:
"It's very meaningful for me. It is a medal the Malaysians were
looking forward to, and I managed to seize it back.

"I am grateful because it is my first time at the SEA Games and I

won gold for Malaysia, in Malaysia, with all my friends here."

He will compete in the 200m today and the 4x100m on Friday.

Khairul is also the national record holder in both those events, and
while his immediate target is a clean sweep of the three SEA Games
golds, he has a much bigger long-term goal in mind.

"I want to go to the Olympics," he declared.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 23, 2017, with the
headline 'Sprint king Khairul is toast of Malaysia'. Print Edition | Subscribe
The main character in my news is Khairul Hafiz Jantan. I choose this news because the
Malaysian sprinter Khairul Hafiz Jantan has won a gold medal in the 100 meter event in Sea
Games 2017. What makes me more interested in choosing this news because he had ended
our country's 14-years wait for another men's 100m gold in Sea Games. Roared on by
estimated 15,000 strong home crowd Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil, the 19 years old, Khairul
Hafiz Jantan managed to beat the defending champion from the philippines Eric Gray in
10.38 seconds to glinch gold in the blue-riband event on his SEA Games debut. What is more
interesting about this news, this is his first debut in Sukan Sea, and he managed to achieve
sweet memories in his career in sport. He managed to achieve victory in front of Malaysian
citizen and also at that time Malaysia was the host of the Sea Games 2017. He becoming the
first Malaysian to win the race since Nazmizan Muhammad’s at the 2003 Sea Games in
Hanoi Vietnam. He also the fourth sprinter of our country to win the 100m crown after
nazmizan, gunaratnam Rajalingan (Bangkok 1967 ) and M.Jegathesan ( Kuala Lumpur 1965 )
In conclusion, this news proves that even we are still new in the biggest tournament, we still
have a chance to achieve victory if we always believe in ourselves and always strive to
achieve it.