National Sprint Queen Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli Optimistic Over 100m National Record Issue
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama)
National sprint queen Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli is optimistic that the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) will resolve the issue surrounding her 100m national record, which has yet to receive recognition from World Athletics (WA).
Technical Issues Delay Recognition of 100m National Record
The 31-year-old sprinter said MAF’s Technical Director, Robert J Ballard, had assured her that the matter would be resolved within 48 hours starting from yesterday. She was informed about the issue by local media outlets yesterday, before Ballard explained the situation to her.
MAF to Resolve Issue Within 48 Hours
"MAF, through Ballard, has already explained the issue to me. He clarified that there were some problems with the submission of documentation when reporting to WA. However, Ballard assured me that MAF would resolve the matter within 48 hours," she said.
No Repeat of 2017 Incident
Zaidatul, who is fondly known as ‘Adeq,’ expressed her hope that such issues would not happen again in the future to maintain the credibility of competitions and ensure that athletes are not discouraged from participating. In 2017, Zaidatul faced a similar issue when her 100m national record attempt was not recognized due to wind assistance of 2.5 seconds at the AGN League 7 Athletics Championship in Pretoria, South Africa.
Background to the Issue
In October, Zaidatul made headlines at the Perlis Open Athletics Championship when she broke the 31-year-old 100m record, clocking 11.49 seconds. She erased G. Shanti’s previous record of 11.50s, set in Kuala Lumpur on May 7, 1993. However, technical issues related to wind readings have delayed MAF from officially recognising it as a national record.
Administrative Oversight
Yesterday, local media reported that Ballard revealed an administrative oversight that resulted in all wind readings for sprints, jumps, and hurdles events at the Perlis Open in October being omitted from the official results. Ballard stated that MAF is currently working to recover the wind data for all affected events, which will be submitted to WA once obtained.
Conclusion
Zaidatul hopes that the issue will be resolved soon, as she does not want to experience the same situation again, which was traumatic and demoralizing. She emphasized the importance of maintaining the credibility of competitions and ensuring that athletes are not discouraged from participating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the issue surrounding Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli’s 100m national record?
A: The issue is related to technical problems with the submission of documentation when reporting to World Athletics (WA).
Q: How long will it take to resolve the issue?
A: MAF has assured Zaidatul that the matter will be resolved within 48 hours, starting from yesterday.
Q: What is the significance of maintaining the credibility of competitions?
A: It ensures that athletes are not discouraged from participating and maintains the integrity of the sport.
Q: What is the background to the issue?
A: Zaidatul broke the 31-year-old 100m record in October, but technical issues related to wind readings have delayed MAF from officially recognising it as a national record.