GA_googleAddSlot("ca-pub-1197233282945943", "Star_Sports_Skyscraper");

Sports

Monday November 23, 2009

Malaysia set to have more cyclists in World Championships

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: The objective to have a bigger group of Malaysian qualifiers for the track cycling World Championships in Copen­hagen next year is playing out nicely after the half-way stage of the World Cup season.

After the conclusion of the Manchester and Melbourne legs, Malaysia are on track to have qualifiers not only for the sprint events but also the endurance races.

Riders have to finish among the top 16 after the two legs in Cali, Colombia, next month and Beijing in January to have any chance to make the cut for the world championships.

National coach John Beasley said that things turned out quite well for the Malaysian squad racing at their training base in Melbourne.

“We had Azizul (Hasni Awang) and Josiah (Ng) taking medals in keirin (the silver and bronze),” said he Australian in a telephone interview.

“We also had Adiq (Husainie Othman) winning his heat to qualify for the points race final and finishing 10th, which is fantastic for someone starting at the bottom of the barrel.

“Mohd Edrus Yunus also raced his fastest time in the 200m sprint while Fatehah Mustapa shaved a second off her personal best in the women’s 500m time trial.

“We still have a long way to go but we are on the right track in trying to get the riders into the world championships.

“I told the boys that we’re not supposed to peak in the World Cup but to taper for the world championships, which is really our first big goal for the year.

“The World Cup in Melbourne saw a bit of experimentation as we used bigger gears for the bikes of the sprinters, which we have never done before.”

Azizul is currently third in the World Cup keirin standings while Josiah is in fifth place.

Malaysia are placed 14th in the men’s team sprint and should gain further ground in the remaining two legs.

At the last world championships in Poland in March this year, Malaysia were represented by three riders – Azizul, Josiah and Rizal Tisin.

“We did not compete in Cali last year because of the costs and it resulted in us not increasing our quota spots,” said Beasley.

“I’m sending three riders (Junaidi Nasir, Zamani Mustaruddin and Akmal Amrun) to Cali and we will sent a bigger squad to Beijing to ensure those who qualify are not left out this time.”

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

Sports Poll