Cyclist Fadhil delivers a special silver for late dad.
Cyclist Fadhil dedicates Asian Track medal to late father
PETALING JAYA:
It was not gold but Mohd Fadhil Zonis was still jumping for joy.
Fadhil claimed silver in the men’s elite 1km time trial event at the Asian Track Cycling Championships in Jincheon, South Korea, yesterday and later dedicated the win to his late father Mohd Zonis Mokhtar.
His dad is not around to share his celebration as he passed away in June this year due to kidney complications.
The 20-year-old became only the second Malaysian cyclist since Rizal Tisin to dip under the magical 1:02 mark after posting 1:01.815.
Rizal’s leading time was standing for most of the duration until Kazakhstan’s Andrey Chugay just managed to overtake with a 1:01.639.
China’s Liu Qi came in third in the field of 22 participants with 1:01.914.
Rizal still holds the national record of 1:01.658, which he did when he bagged bronze at the World Track Cycling Championships back in Poland in 2009.
His bronze was also the first-ever medal for Malaysia at the world meet.
Selangor-born Fadhil, who won the 1km time trial gold in the junior ranks at the 2015 edition in Korat, Thailand, was pleased to earn his first individual medal in the senior ranks.
Fadhil is only the third Malaysian to win a medal in the 1km time trial. Rizal, now coaching in Singapore, won the event twice (2008 and 2011) while Edrus Yunos, now the national coach, triumphed in 2012.
“It’s my personal best time and just a fraction off the national record,” said Fadhil.
“I was going for Rizal’s national record. I’m coming closer and I think I can do it maybe by next year.
“This event is not in the Olympics this time but it’s still in the Commonwealth Games and Asian championships, so I have been working hard for it.
“This medal is precious although I lost out on the gold. I did this for my dad.
“He supported us a lot in our cycling careers,” said Fadhil, whose elder brother Firdaus Zonis was a former Asian triple champion before he quit the sport.
Fatehah Mustapa continued with her fine form by winning bronze in the women’s elite 500m time trial.
The 30-year-old clocked 35.283 while Chen Feifei of China (34.742) and Kim Soo-hyun of South Korea (34.829) took the first two spots.
It is the second bronze medal for Fatehah as she had partnered Anis Amira Rosidi to finish third in the women’s elite 500m time trial on Thursday.
Fatehah also raced in the sprint yesterday and did well to reach the quarter-finals but lost out to reigning world champion Lee Wai Sze of Hong Kong.