KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- National sprinter Danish Iftikhar Muhammad Roslee is now among the 21 athletes listed in the Podium Programme in preparation for upcoming games, including the 2027 Malaysia SEA Games.
This was confirmed by Malaysian Athletics (MA) Secretary-General Nurhayati Karim, who explained that entry into the Podium Programme is automatically granted to athletes who win medals at the SEA Games, regardless of its colour.
"Danish (Iftikhar) is in the Podium programme. I think Malaysians need to understand that this programme is for those who win medals at the SEA Games level, so they are automatically included. Yes (even for winning bronze). Offer letters will be given to the athletes; if the terms and conditions are met, the athletes can take the opportunity to join the National Sports Council (NSC) Podium programme.
"It was a good meeting with strong consensus between the NSC, National Institute of Sports and MA, where we approved a total of 21 athletes for the Podium programme and 40 athletes for the Development (Pelapis) programme with the aspiration of empowering the developmental ranks in preparation for the 2027 SEA Games," she said after a working committee meeting at the NSC, Bukit Jalil, today.
Previously, it was reported that Danish Iftikhar was not under the NSC programme despite his excellence at the 2025 SEA Games and the 2024 Sarawak SUKMA, with the 19-year-old Johor-born athlete only being under the state talent programme.
He previously grabbed the headlines by winning two bronze medals in the 100-metre (m) and 200m events, including recording 10.26 seconds (s) in the 100m and breaking the 200m national record with a time of 20.73s at the 2025 SEA Games.
Danish Iftikhar also contributed a silver medal in the 4x100m event alongside Alif Iman Fahmi, Jonathan Nyepa, and Pengiran Aidil Auf Hajam after clocking a time of 39.03s.
He also set a personal best of 10.18s in the 100m heats, in addition to emerging as the 100m champion at the 2024 Sarawak SUKMA.
-- BERNAMA
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