SEPANG – After earning his ticket to the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships, Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam is setting his sights on clocking a personal best of below 21s in the 200m at the meet in Peru, Lima.
The Sandakan-born athlete recorded 21.28sec at the recent Asian Athletics U20 Championships to win bronze and qualify for the world U20 meet, which will be held from Aug 27-31.
Pengiran Aidil said now that he has qualified for the world U20 championships, he may have to skip the Malaysia Games (Sukma) to be held in Sarawak from August 17 to 24.
“I am serious about competing in Peru, so I’m contemplating skipping Sukma.
“I will be targeting to clock about 20sec (in Peru) to beat my time in Dubai. Winning a medal will be a bonus,” he told Bernama at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport here today upon his return from Dubai.
Pengiran Aidil said he would not rush to set high targets and would continue to work closely with his coach Jumain Taepe.
Asked whether he would like to train full-time at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil, Pengiran Aidil said he is more comfortable to train in Sandakan to be near his family and place of study, the Sandakan Community College.
In Dubai, triple jumper Ng Tak Sik won bronze and Hanssen Yap Soo clocked 10.41sec in 100m, and they will be accompanying Pengiran Aidil to Peru. – April 28, 2024