KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry is set to name the head coach and six athletes selected for its sub-10 second athletics sprinter programme — dubbed Project B10 — early next year.
Higher Education Ministry sports sector deputy secretary Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli said the programme would be based at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) campus in Serdang, Selangor.
"We have already identified a suitable coach to fill the head coach position and are currently in the process of finalising the finer details," Pekan said when contacted yesterday.
"We have identified six athletes who have solid potential to train under the programme. Three of them have already signed a contract with us.
"One of the criteria we decided on was that all the athletes must train together at UPM. We did not want them to be split across the country.
"Unfortunately, the progress of the programme was hampered by Covid-19 after it was launched but we are hoping to make solid progress next year."
Project B10 was first announced in November 2021 to produce the nation's first sprinter capable of running the 100m race under 10 seconds.
It focuses on developing athletes between 18 and 23 years old, who are capable of running 30m under four seconds, 60m under 6.50 seconds and are 1.78m or taller.