SINGAPORE - For over two years, hurdler Ang Chen Xiang has been training hard to better his own men's 110m hurdles national record of 14.25sec.

And the 27-year-old runner beamed as he checked the clock at the Club Zoom Kindred Spirit Series 2 on Saturday (Jan 15), as it showed that he had crossed the finish line at the Home of Athletics in 14.16sec.

Ang, whose previous best was set at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships in Qatar, said: "When I crossed the finish line, I knew that my race technique was smooth and I felt I was in personal best territory.

"I'm very happy with the record and with the execution of the race. It feels like what we've been working on in training is finally bearing fruit."

He credited the work he has been doing in training with his coach and younger brother Ding Hui, such as focusing on improving his take-off mechanics.

He also paid tribute to Club Zoom for including the event in the Kallang meet after it was initially left out and thanked the people around him for their support as he juggled training and other commitments.

"As a sprint hurdler, racing is crucial in keeping our race execution sharp. To me, training and competing has always been a privilege, and not something that I take for granted," said Ang, who is completing his national service as a medical officer.

"It has definitely been a tough journey juggling track training with operational needs like going outfield, missions and training courses.

"I'm glad that my coach and I have been able to navigate these smoothly to adequately balance training with appropriate rest."

The result also puts him in good stead as he aims to qualify for May's SEA Games in Hanoi and win a medal there.

The qualifying time for the event is 13.99sec and Ang is confident that with more race experience and sharper execution, he may even match the 2019 SEA Games gold medal time of 13.97sec.

In his previous SEA Games outing in the Philippines, Ang ran 14.49sec to finish eighth in the final.

"We will continue to work on the take off mechanics and angles, but as the season progresses, to add more speed work in as well," said Ang, who will compete in next week's Singapore National Track & Field Championships 2022.

"I hope to move even quicker in the next few races. It's a really good start to the year, and hopefully with more racing, we can all get more opportunities to better our personal bests. This result reassures my coach and me that I'm on the right track and to keep doing what we're doing."

Agreeing with his assessment, Ding Hui expects his older brother and charge to get quicker as the season progresses and is confident the latter can win a medal at the SEA Games.

Ding Hui, 26, said: "He has to continue to focus on building his speed and power and convert it to (stride) frequency between hurdles.

"At the major competitions, especially in the hurdles, it is anybody's game. All he needs to focus on is executing his technique well and focusing on his own race and he will be able to perform."