Malaysian track star Shereen Vallabouy has made her parents and the country proud by acing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II track and field competition in the US.

The 23-year-old clocked an impressive 53.79 seconds at Pittsburg State University, Kansas, last Saturday - setting a new championship mark and becoming the first Malaysian female runner to go under 54 seconds in indoor 400m.

She emerged tops among 300 teams and over 1,000 individual athletes who competed in the women's indoor 400m title at the start of the NCAA Division II track and field competition.

It is worth noting that Shereen, who is currently in her senior year at Winona State University, Minnesota, studying recreation and tourism on an athletics scholarship, is the youngest daughter of decorated Malaysian middle-distance running couple Samson Vallabouy and Josephine Mary.

Shereen's vistory has garnered the attention of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who posted a congratulatory message for her on Istana Negara's official Facebook page.



In a Facebook post, the National Sports Council also said that Shereen has officially broken a 16-year-old national record of 54.58s made by Noraseela Mohd Khalid in 2006.



Congratulations Shereen on your impressive achievement! Kudos to her parents too on this fantastic record-breaking feat.


Source: Free Malaysia Today, Facebook
Photo source: Facebook