Malaysian sprint king Muhammad Azeem Fahmi bounced back from individual disappointment in spectacular fashion, anchoring Auburn University to a magnificent gold medal in the men’s 4x100m relay at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday.

Running on their home track in front of a roaring home crowd, the powerhouse Auburn quartet of Azeem, Kayinsola Ajayi, Austin Kresley, and Tyler Davis clocked a blistering winning time of 38.07 seconds. The phenomenal performance registers as the fastest time recorded across the entire NCAA circuit in the United States this year.

The gold medal provided a massive dose of redemption for the 22-year-old Malaysian national record holder. Just 24 hours prior, the Teluk Intan-born sprinter suffered a bitter setback when he failed to qualify for the men’s individual 100m final, finishing a disappointing third in his qualifying heat with a time of 10.31 seconds.

Showing the Elite elite mentality that has defined his collegiate career, Azeem shifted his focus entirely to the relay, executing seamless baton exchanges to help Auburn comfortably outpace their regional rivals.

Louisiana State University (LSU)—featuring a star-studded lineup of Jeremiah Walker, Jaiden Reid, Shakeem McKay, and Joshua Caleb—took the silver medal in 38.35 seconds, finishing nearly three-tenths of a second behind the runaway Tigers. The University of Tennessee’s combination of Traunord Folson, Davonte Howell, T’Mars McCallum, and Elijah Clark settled for the bronze medal with a time of 38.51 seconds in a fiercely contested final.

For Azeem, this specific victory carries immense emotional weight. The meet marked his final career appearance at the prestigious SEC Championships before he officially concludes his undergraduate studies at Auburn University this coming December.

Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account after the race, the Malaysian speedster kept his celebration short but sentimental.

“SEC Champion. My last appearance at the SEC was extra special,” Azeem wrote.

The triumph on Saturday marks the Auburn relay squad’s third major title of the outdoor season. The unit previously laid down markers by conquering the Yellow Jacket Invitational in Atlanta with a time of 39.75 seconds, followed by a dominant 38.41-second victory at the East Coast Relays in Jacksonville earlier this month.

Azeem continues to solidify his reputation as one of Auburn’s most reliable big-game performers. Since moving to the United States, the national icon has consistently stepped up in relay events, famously helping the Tigers capture and subsequently defend the NCAA national title in Eugene, Oregon.

With his final SEC ring secured and a world-class, season-best time of 38.07 seconds locked in, Azeem and his teammates will now turn their attention to the upcoming NCAA East Regionals as they look to carry this hot streak into the National Championships.