On the right track
Fatehah should be inspired at Anna Meares Velodrome Fitri urges his side to get the better of England
AUSTRALIA are so proud of their woman track cyclist Anna Meares that they named a velodrome after her. That should inspire Malaysia’s Fatehah Mustapa to seize her moment of glory and live up to her tag as Malaysia’s best woman cyclist.
And what better place for Fatehah to attempt a historic feat than at the Anna Meares Velodrome.
Fatehah has a chance to become Malaysia’s first female Commonwealth Games winner for cycling when the action begins today and emulate Meares in a way as the homester’s a multiple Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner.
The Melbourne-based Fatehah will compete in three individual events – the women’s keirin, sprint and 500m time trial but her best chance is in keirin.
Today, she will compete in the women’s team sprint qualification with Farina Shawati Mohd Adnan and Ju Pha Somnet.
This is set to be Fatehah’s last Commonwealth Games outing.
“It’s the first time that women’s keirin is being contested in the Games and it’s the best chance for me,” said Fatehah, who is pleased with her preparation for her second Commonwealth Games.
Her challengers will be Stephanie Morton of Australia and England’s Kaarle McCulloch and Katy Marchant.
At the last Games in Glasgow 2014, the 29-year-old managed a fourth spot. She has already scored several firsts for Malaysia in women’s cycling.
She won a silver medal at the World Cup in Mexico in 2014 and another silver at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. She also bagged four gold medals at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year.
In men’s cycling, Malaysia’s focus will be on former world champion Azizulhasni Awang and Muhd Shah Firdaus Sahrom to stand tall against their peers from Australia, New Zealand and England in the keirin at the Games.
Today, Malaysia will be in action in the men’s 400m team pursuit and team sprint qualification – but they are unlikely to go far. IT’S payback time.
Hockey player Mohd Fitri Saari wants Malaysia to end their miserable run against England in the Commonwealth Games when they clash tomorrow at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre.
“We’ve performed poorly against England in the last few years and the challenge will be on us to get the better of them in the Games,” said the 25-year-old.
In the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup last month, Malaysia were thrashed 7-2 by England. Malaysia also lost 7-3 in the World League Semi-finals in London last June in the group and went down 4-1 in the playoff for fourth.
In the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Malaysia were humiliated 8-1.
Fitri said the team needed to rise to the occasion and live up to hockey’s status as Malaysia’s No. 1 team sport.
“We can’t afford another disaster against England as this will dampen the team’s spirit in the Games,” said Fitri.
“England play a very disciplined game and are fast on the counter attack. They’re also good at penalty corner set-pieces. We have to play a tight marking game and can’t afford to make mistakes in defence.”
In the absence of experienced midfielder Mohd Marhan Mohd Jalil, Fitri hopes Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor and Meor Muhamad Azuan Hassan will step up.
“We need a significant result to boost our chances in the Games,” said Fitri.
The other teams in Malaysia’s group are Wales, India and Pakistan.
If Fitri helps Malaysia go far, his family will be delighted after all the sacrifices he has made.
His nine- month- old son Muhammad Adam Zafran is suffering from a chronic lung infection and has to rely on an oxygen machine to breathe.
“I’ve to call home everyday to check on my son. It’s hard to focus on the Games. Hopefully, all these sacrifices of playing for the nation will be worth it,” said Fitri, who’s making his Games debut.