Malaysian 400m sprinter Shereen Samson Vallabouy is preparing to compete at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, which commence tomorrow, relying primarily on local resources and support for her training. This approach marks a departure from her preparations for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, where she transitioned directly from the United States collegiate system and participated in a series of high-level international competitions.
At the 2022 Hangzhou Games, Shereen earned a bronze medal in the 400m event with a time of 52.58 seconds, finishing behind Bahrain’s gold medalist Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya (50.66 seconds) and silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser (50.92 seconds). Reflecting on that period, she noted that her exposure to frequent elite competition in the U.S. had been significantly different from her current training regimen.
“This year has been different; I’ve been to fewer competitions,” Shereen said, highlighting her confidence in Malaysia’s National Sports Institute (NSI) for providing comprehensive sports science and medical support. She believes this backing will enable her to maintain peak condition despite fewer competitive race outings.
Shereen dismissed concerns that a lighter competition schedule might disrupt her race readiness, emphasizing the importance of mental strength and tactical execution in the 400m event. “I think it’s more about the mind,” she said. “I’ve been seasoned in running the 400m and have been learning a lot lately, so I just have to apply that correctly in the race.”
Aiming to advance into the final and achieve her best possible performance, she cited key competitors from Bahrain and India as major contenders this year. “Bahrain has the top two runners, followed by a few athletes from India who have run 51 seconds plus,” she commented. “Those are my rivals. I’m going to give my best and execute the best race I can.”
Shereen expressed confidence in her physical preparedness, affirming that she has completed all necessary training groundwork at home and is ready to compete at her best when she takes to the track in Japan.