PETALING JAYA: Former national sprint coach Harun Rasheed, who trained many of Malaysia's top sprinters, passed away today at 70 in Kajang. Just four days earlier, former sprint coach Ceril Christopher Yapp, also 70, died in Sabah. The two had a long history, having competed against each other in their youth. Both men were known for their dedication to developing young athletes and were respected figures in the athletics community.

Harun helped shape the careers of top sprinters, including G Shanti, Malaysia’s fastest woman in the 1990s, and led teams to success in regional competitions. His career, however, ended after a 10-year ban for a doping-related issue following the 2011 SEA Games.

Yapp, who coached sprinters like Eddie Edward Jr and Sport Sunarno, was highly regarded in Sabah and continued coaching until a few months ago despite his poor health. He also represented Malaysia in karate at the 1987 SEA Games, winning a team bronze. Both coaches’ contributions to athletics will be greatly missed.