POLE vaulter Roslinda Samsu begins an action-packed year with an appearance at the Asian Indoor Championships in Tehran next week.
The indoor meet on Feb 24-26 affords the three-time Sea Games champion a chance to warm up for the more crucial assignments later this year -- the New Delhi Commonwealth Games and Guangzhou Asian Games.
Roslinda has already qualified for Guangzhou, where she is a medal prospect, but New Delhi will be a different story where world class vaulters from Australia and Canada will be present although she was only denied the bronze medal on count back four years ago in Melbourne.
In Tehran, the 27-year-old from Kedah is focused more on getting into her stride than setting any specific targets, having not competed since the Laos Sea Games in December.
"The indoor meet was included in last year's plans but being the first competition of the year, I'm looking at it as a warm-up for bigger competitions later in the year.
"Obviously the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games are the big ones and while I'm confident of getting a medal at Guangzhou, the colour can only be determined on the day itself.
| Roslinda is only aiming to get into her stride in Tehran |
"But for that to happen, my training and competition programmes must go smoothly and without interruptions," said Roslinda, in a reference to the H1N1 influenza virus pandemic which grounded the national athletes last year.
Roslinda has two silver medals from the Asian Indoors and Teheran holds special significance as it was there she won the first medal in 2004.
Another silver followed in 2008 in Doha where she was edged to gold on countback after three vaulters finished tied on 4.10m.
With a personal best of 4.25m indoors, Roslinda might expect to go one better this time.
"I've not set any specific targets but to go over four metres in my first competition would be a good start," added Roslinda.
Besides Roslinda, the National Sports Council cleared four other athletes to compete out of seven requested by the Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union while hurdler Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian, who has not competed since the middle of last year, has been ruled out through injury.
This is the final meet for the five to qualify for next month's World Indoor Championships but Roslinda will have to clear 4.40m to go to Doha.
The others in the frame are high jumper Lee Hup Wei, middle distance runner Jironi Riduan, hurdler Robani Hassan -- who will run the 60m hurdles -- and shot putter Adi Aliffudin Husin.
2010/02/18
By Devinder Singh
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