Shereen Vallabouy Wins Championship In The US & Breaks National Record

Malaysian track athlete breaks national record

Watching Malaysian athletes consistently win in major and smaller sports events is both exciting and inspirational. While the achievements of many veterans and familiar faces continue to make us proud, there are also rising athletes who have been breaking barriers of their own.

Last Saturday, 12th March 2022, a young Malaysian track athlete, Shereen Vallabouy, emerged as the champion at the Indoor Track and Field Championships held in Kansas, US. She also broke a 16-year Malaysian record – proving that she is one to keep an eye out for in the foreseeable future.

Triumphed over more than 1,000 athletes

Shereen Vallabouy – a 24-year-old senior at Winona State University in Minnesota – is a rising star athlete in track and field. She snagged the championship title at the US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at Pittsburg State University in Kansas, US.

Image credit: Azrail bin Khaidzir

Her win was even more impressive when considering she triumphed over more than 1,000 athletes and about 300 teams in the competition.

Besides this spectacular win, the Ipoh-born athlete also broke a previous national record that Noraseela Mohd Khalid held for 16 years. Shereen finished her 400m race in 53.79 seconds, beating out Noraseela’s record from 2006 which stood at 54.58 seconds.

Image credit: @shereen_vallabouy

Shereen has been showing great promise in the sport since 2015, when she won the bronze medal for the 400m and 4x400m race in the Southeast Asian Games, and yet again in the 2017 edition.

Just a month before her recent win, Shereen clocked in 54.94 seconds and was crowned champion at the 2022 NSIC Indoor Championships. She also broke a 12-year Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference time record in the event with her win.

Daughter of a former Olympian

Image credit: @shereen_vallabouy

Shereen isn’t the only athletic talent in her family. She is the youngest daughter of former celebrated national athletes, Samson Vallabouy and Josephine Mary Singarayar.

Upon her huge win, she expressed her gratitude towards her parents, who made sacrifices to support her ambitions, every step of the way.

“My teammates and coaches are family to me. They have helped me mentally and physically to enjoy my sport a lot more,” she told Free Malaysia Today.

Shereen’s Malaysia-born coach based in Minnesota, Waihon Liew, also praised her diligence in training, as well as her parents’ dedication to help her pursue her dreams, despite the struggles they faced.

Liew also urged for our nation to play a larger role in funding talented athletes.

Image credit: Free Malaysia Today

In an interview with The Vibes, her mother Josephine shared that the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) and the National Sports Council (NSC) have graciously reached out to her and offered to provide assistance for Shereen’s sports endeavours.

Josephine also thanked the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) for contributing funds for her daughter’s studies in the US.

Shereen is also being considered to represent the country at major events such as the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, if there are no qualification issues or hindrances in her schedule.

A raw talent and a rising sprinter

Following the footsteps of her parents’ athletic roots, Shereen is proud of her win, sharing with Free Malaysia Today that her recent championship title was just the beginning and that she would work hard subsequently to break her own 53-second record.

Her mother also said that though her daughter’s sports journey had not been easy, she couldn’t have been more proud of her daughter for her accomplishments. “She has done the country proud and we are excited about so much more that she can achieve,” the mother gushed.

Online, netizens have also been showering Shereen’s social media pages with congratulatory messages ever since she broke the national record at the NCAA Division II Championships.

Image credit: @shereen_vallabouy

Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, also tweeted a series of messages to congratulate Shereen and her family.

Image credit: @PejaofPerak

“Congratulations to Shereen Vallabouy and her family, especially her parents Josephine Mary and Samson Vallabouy who are former athletes for their strong support to Shereen. May Shereen’s success be an inspiration to all athletes. Syabas #MalaysiaBoleh #DemiMalaysia,” he wrote on Twitter.

Image credit: Istana Negara

In a post on the official Istana Negara Facebook page, Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah also congratulated Shereen for her huge feat as well.

“Their Majesties expressed hope that the excellent achievement will spur her and other national athletes to continue to work hard to achieve success and lift up Malaysia’s name at future championships. Their Majesties wish Shereen good luck and pray that she will enjoy continuous success,” they wrote.

Making Malaysia proud

One may be born with a natural talent for a sport or hobby, but hard work and dedication are vital to develop the talent itself. Shereen Vallabouy embodies a combination of raw talent and admirable ethics, diligence and perseverance. We applaud her for her recent championship win, and look forward to cheering her on at future tournaments.