KUALA LUMPUR: Badrul Hisyam Manap's 100 metres national record can still be ratified by the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) despite the missing measuring instruments at the Asean Schools Games in Brunei last month.
New Straits Times reported on Dec 3 that MAF had expressed concern over the reliablity of the wind-gauge machine which timed Badrul's run at 10.29 seconds on Nov 23, which if ratified, would erase Watson Nyambek's mark of 10.30 from the record books.
MAF received a report from their Brunei counterparts this week saying that there was no wind-gauge instrument placed at the 50-metre mark nor was there photo-finish equipment at the finish line.
The wind-gauge machine at the 100-metre line was also facing the inside of the track, rather than outside, which seems to be the case according to a video recording of the 100m final.
These instruments are needed to officially ratify a record at championships run by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), though they are not necessarily required at age-group or low-level meets.
"We received a report from the Brunei Athletics Federation which said the wind-gauge equipment was not placed at the proper place," said MAF statistician Jad Adrian today.
"They also did not send photo-finish reports which would usually be needed to ratify records. However, these requirements are normally needed only for world records so MAF can still go ahead and ratify Badrul's record.
"I will provide them with all the information we have obtained and it is up to MAF to decide on how to proceed from here."
Badrul's run was measured in a tailwind of 1.92 metres a seconds, just within the legal limit of 2.0 for record purposes.