SAI’s Tiruvallur Camp Serves as Asian Games 2026 Prep Hub for Malaysia

The Sports Authority of India converted its elite training centre in Tiruvananthapuram into a high‑performance base for Malaysia’s Asian Games preparations. The camp, which started in early September and ended on the 10th, hosted two middle‑ and long‑distance specialists – Van Muhammad Fajari (800 m) and Umar Usman (400 m/800 m). Both athletes trained under the watchful eye of head coach Mohammad Azharuddin, a former Indian national runner who previously worked with SAI Bengaluru.

This camp is one of several cross‑border programs that see foreign athletes using Indian facilities before the 2026 Games in Nagoya. Nepal’s boxers trained at the SAI Guwahati campus, while Iran’s kabaddi players used the SAI Sonipat hub. The Athletics Federation of India had approached SAI in July to arrange stay, food and training for the Malaysian squad, ensuring the costs did not fall on SAI.

Azharuddin told media that the main purpose was to give Malaysian runners exposure to Indian standards and to let them train alongside Indian athletes, which he believes is more valuable than a European training environment. He also noted that the exchange programme will raise competition levels for both nations.