True grit:
Shukor Farhan powering his way to the finish line to win the 3,000m individual pursuit (C1, C2, C3) mixed gold in the Asean Para Games at the National Velodrome in Nilai yesterday. Inset: Shukor Farhan showing off his gold medal.
MOHD Firdaus Mohd Zonis is ready to fight for a second chance to join the national track cycling team.
The 21-year-old, who was once touted as Malaysia’s next top track cyclist after Azizulhasni Awang, combined with visually-impaired partner Mohd Amin Najmi Romzi to bag the men’s 4km individual pursuit (B) gold at the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games track cycling competition yesterday.
Firdaus-Amin clocked 4:55.501 to snatch the gold from favourites Afiq Afify Rizan-Khairul Adha Rasol at the National Velodrome in Nilai, Negri Sembilan.
Afiq-Khairul, who claimed two golds in the men’s (B) sprint and 1km time trial on Sunday, clocked 5:09.455.
Firdaus was happy to follow in the footsteps of his younger brother Mohd Fadhil Mohd Zonis, who claimed two golds (men’s team sprint and 1km time trial) in the track cycling competition at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last month.
Yesterday was a triumphant comeback for Firdaus, who even worked as a bike mechanic after his sudden decision to quit the national elite squad after a bad back injury almost two years ago.
“Fadhil made the elite track squad in Melbourne last year and he was the one who persuaded me to give it another shot.
“I’m happy to contribute to the national para cycling team. It is a big responsibility to guide Amin as he is still new to cycling. We have only partnered each other for six months, so this win means a lot to both of us.
“I just resumed cycling six months ago. So I still have a lot to catch up on in terms of fitness and racing pace.
“They (National Sports Council) put me in para cycling in the meantime. But if I get another chance to go back to the national team, I’m up for it,” said Firdaus, who became the only Malaysian to win a medal – a bronze in the 1km time trial at the Track World Junior Championships in South Korea in 2015.
He is also the only Malaysian to have won the treble (sprint, keirin and 1km time trial) at the Asian Junior Championships in 2013 (India) and 2014 (Kazakhstan).