Khairul Jantan dethrones Eric Cray to win 100m

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Malaysia’s Khairul Hafiz Jantan (centre) leaves behind Eric Shaun Cray of the Philippines and Jirapong Meenapra of Thailand in the 100-metre final at National Stadium Bukit Jalil. Fellow Malaysian Jonathan Nyepa from Sarawak is seen on right. — Bernama photo

Sea Game

KUCHING: Malaysia’s sprint king is now the fastest man in Southeast Asia. 19 year-old Khairul Hafiz Jantan clocked 10.38sec in the men’s 100m final and was the clear winner over defending champion Eric Cray of the Philippines. Eric pipped Thailand’s Kritsada Namsuwun to the silver in a photo-finish. Both were timed at 10.43s.

Earlier in the day Khairul was also the fastest during the semi-finals with a 10.34s.

Eric won his semi-final in 10.58s to edge another Malaysian Jonathan Nyepa who clocked 10.60s.

Sarawak-born Jonathan finished fifth in the final with his time of 10.66s.

Meanwhile, Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli failed to make it a double sprint gold for the home crowd at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

But she ran 11.74s to manage a silver behind Vietnam’s Le Tu Chinh who won the women’s sprint final in 11.56s. Singapore’s Shanti Pereira was third with a time of 11.76s.

About an hour before the sprint race Eric had won the 400m hurdles in a very tight finish. Vietnam’s Quach Cong Lich chased him all the way to the wire to finish two hundreds of a second behind Eric’s winning time of 50.03s.

Indonesia’s Andrian got the bronze in 51.52s.

Malaysian hurdler Quek Lee Yong, who is from Sarawak, limbed out injured after stumbling at the second hurdle during his semi-final.

Malaysia’s Muhd Irfan Shamsuddin was also suffering from a back injury.

But the national discus thrower still managed to defend his title in the event with a distance of 58.36m.

Thailand’s Narong Benjaroon threw 50.65m to finish second while Sarawakian Abdul Rahman picked up the bronze for Malaysia with his best of 44.80m.