Noraseela has her hands full

(dipetik drpd the star)

KUALA LUMPUR: Hurdler Noraseela Khalid (pic) skipped the last two SEA Games because of injuries and she will be back with her hands full in Laos.

The 30-year-old Selangor athlete will not only compete in her pet event, the 400m hurdles, but she also down to take part in the 400m and the 4x400m races.

Despite her age, Noraseela has been in good form and she was the only Malaysian to win a medal in the Asian Track and Field (ATF) in Guangzhou on Nov 13 – clocking 57.15 to take the silver medal.

Noraseela, who had six months of training in South Africa early this year, said: “Usually, women at my age would have quit or slowed down. But I am different. I will go all out to give my best in Vientiane.”

Noraseela, a bronze medallist in the 2006 Doha Asiad, clocked an impressive 54.23 to win the gold medal in the Malaysian Open in Bukit Jalil last month. The time was better than the gold medal-winning effort of 54.77 by Kaewchuy Showalee of Thailand in the 2007 SEA Games in Korat.

For the relay, Noraseela will team up with Norrohida Baidawi, K. Ganthimanthi and Nurul Faezah Asma Mazlan.

Noraseela won gold for the first time in the biennial Games in Brunei in 1999. She was the silver medallist at the 2001 KL Games and regained the title in Hanoi in 2003. Injuries kept her out of the Manila and Korat Games.

National chief coach Hanapiah Nasir said that Noraseela was a good role model for young athletes.

“She is already 30 but still in good form to win medals in international meets. We need more athletes like her to encourage more youngsters to excel in athletics,” he said.