Our cyclists aim to shine in HK despite low-key Hari Raya
PETALING JAYA: It’s going to be a muted Hari Raya celebration in the country but the national track cyclists are ready to make the loudest roar with uplifting performances in the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup starting in Hong Kong today.
It is the biggest international meet for track cycling since the world championships in Berlin in February last year and the Hong Kong Velodrome venue is also where Azizulhasni Awang claimed a historic world keirin title for Malaysia four years ago.
Malaysia, this time, will be represented by elite cyclists Fadhil Zonis and Anis Amira Rosidi, who will ride for Sime Darby Foundation.
National back-up coach Harnizam Basri has also given promising youngsters Amar Danial Masri, Ahmad Safwan Nazeri and Mohd Ridwan Sahrom their international debuts in a senior event, formerly known as the World Cup series.
Harnizam, who is in charge of the back-up training programme in Nilai, is not setting lofty targets for the Hong Kong outing considering the current circumstances.
Newport, Britain, was supposed to stage the first leg but was cancelled due to Covid-19 border restrictions and the meet in Hong Kong was only confirmed to proceed late last month following the intervention of chief executive Carrie Lam, who is an avid cycling fan.
The meet will take place under a strict safety bubble concept to enable the teams to escape Hong Kong’s strict 21-day quarantine rule and no spectators are allowed.
“Besides Fadhil and Anis, we also have three new senior national team members Danial, Safwan and Ridwan, who is our Olympian Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom’s younger brother, in the team.
“It’s their first experience competing at a senior international competition. It’s a good experience for them as they try to make the step up to the seniors.
“Fadhil and Anis did get to compete at the world championships in Berlin early last year but they have not competed in any international event for two years now.
“Hopefully, they’ll post personal best times and get ranking points to qualify for the 2021 world championships in Turkmenistan end of this year.
Safwan and Ridwan teamed up with Fariz Haikal Kadir to win the boys’ team sprint silver medal at the Asian Cycling Championships in Indonesia in 2019.
Ridwan went on to finish in the top 10 in the sprint and keirin at the World Junior Track Cycling Championships in Frankfurt later that year.
National riders from high risk countries like Germany and India were refused participation but it will still be a competitive meet with nearly 20 nations in attendance.
Former world champion keirin cyclist Lee Wai Sze, who is also Hong Kong’s main hope for Olympics gold in Tokyo and Japan’s Yuta Wakimoto, the 2020 world championships men’s keirin silver medallist, will be carrying the flag for Asia.