NATIONAL men’s 800 metre runner Wan Muhammad Fazri Wan Zahari is using the 2025 Malaysian Open Athletics Championships as his preparation platform for the upcoming SEA Games in Thailand.
The 24 year old Kelantan representative secured second place with a time of 53.17 seconds in today’s men’s 800 metre event at Tuanku Syed Putra Stadium.
Japanese athlete Taishi Yamada claimed victory with a time of 53.02 seconds while fellow Kelantan runner Anas Ariffin finished third with 53.34 seconds.
Wan Muhammad Fazri stated he felt no pressure during the race as he continues recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.
He revealed his coach instructed him to simply enjoy the competition following several major championships earlier this year.
His primary objective was completing the race without experiencing any pain, which he successfully achieved.
The athlete will now focus on carefully preparing for the SEA Games in December with particular emphasis on perfecting his final 200 metre acceleration.
He acknowledged several challengers from Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand but maintains his focus remains solely on his own performance.
The championship event began yesterday and continues through tomorrow with participation from 658 athletes representing 19 domestic teams and 10 foreign countries.
Participating nations include Algeria, China, Japan, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Philippines. – Bernama