Malaysia's national 100m record holder, Azeem Fahmi, has yet to break the historic 10-second barrier despite training in the United States since early 2023. His former coach, Amir Izwan Tan Abdullah, stated today that he remains confident Azeem can achieve this feat by 2026 or 2027 if the sprinter returns to train under his guidance in Malaysia. Amir was the mentor who led Azeem to his current national record of 10.09s during the 2022 World Junior Championships.

Since moving to Alabama to train under coach Ken Harnden, Azeem’s best performance was a 10.11s run to secure bronze at the 2023 Asian Games. Amir noted that while he respects Azeem's current programme, he knows the athlete's potential intimately and is willing to help him reach his dream once Azeem completes his American studies in August 2026. However, Azeem is reportedly planning to remain in the US to prepare for the upcoming Asian Games in September.

Amir shared these insights during an interview with Malaysia Athletics (MA), as the association begins selecting elite coaches for the 2027 SEA Games, which Malaysia will host. MA secretary-general Nurhayati Karim confirmed that 20 coaches will be selected by March 2026 to lead the national charge. The decision now rests with Azeem on whether he will reunite with his former coach or continue his professional journey abroad.