National Runner Shereen Wins Malaysia’s First Athletics Medal At Asian Games In 17 Years
Meanwhile, national sprinter Mohd Azeem Fahmi also ended Malaysia’s 41-year wait for a medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
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National runner Shereen Samson Vallabouy won the bronze medal in the 400m Asian Games race at the Hangzhou Olympic Stadium on Saturday (30 September).
The 25-year-old finished the race with a time of 52.58s. Bahrain’s Mujidat Adekonya and Salwa Eid Naser won gold with a time of 50.66s and silver with a time of 50.92s, respectively.
Shereen’s win ended Malaysia’s 17-year wait for an Asiad athletics medal. Malaysia last won a medal in the category in 2006 when hurdler Noraseela Khalid won the bronze.
Shereen said she was thrilled to make her Asiad debut with a medal. Her mother, S. Josephine Mary, was also an Asian Games medallist.
Josephine won two bronze medals – in the 800m at the 1986 edition in Seoul, South Korea, and 4x400m at the 1990 edition in Beijing, China.
It means a lot. Feels amazing to work really hard and be able to reach this stage, and win a medal for Malaysia. My mom and dad (Samson Vallabouy) were national athletes, it’s such an amazing feeling to follow in their footsteps and make them proud.
Shereen Samson Vallabouy
Shereen will compete in the women’s 4x100m relay and complete her 2023 race season once the Asiad is over. She will rest six weeks before returning to train in the United States and start hunting for a slot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
National sprinter Mohd Azeem Fahmi also won a bronze medal for the men’s 100m at the Games yesterday with a time of 10.11s, ending Malaysia’s 41-year wait for a medal in the same category.
Malaysia’s Rabuan Pit won gold at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi with a time of 10.68s.
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