Chomping at the bit
Dark horse Firdaus could be nation’s cycling revelation
PETALING JAYA:
The Malaysia Tokyo Olympics handbook describes Mohd
Shah Firdaus Sahrom as a “giant killer.”
And he could very well be the trump card for Malaysia in the track cycling competition at Izu Velodrome this week.
All eyes will be on the more experienced Azizulhasni Awang to deliver but don’t count out Shah Firdaus from pulling off a surprise.
He is determined not to make up the numbers when they get their campaign under way in the sprint from Aug 4-6 and keirin from Aug 7-8.
“This will be my first time competing at the Olympics but I’m not going to take it easy,” said the 25-year-old rider.
“But I have not set too high a target for myself because I lack experience at this level. I will just focus on myself in terms of how I prepare physically and mentally.
“I will also follow Azizul’s approach. Just go out there and give it everything and accept whatever results that come without regrets,” said Shah Firdaus, who has been based in Melbourne with Azizul for the last four years.
The Johor rider may be making his Games debut but he has shown tremendous improvement over the last two years.
He is a bronze medallist at the 2019 Asian Championships in the sprint and team sprint.
In 2018 at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast he wrecked local favourite Matthew Glaetzer’s hopes by knocking out the world champion in the first round of the sprint.
Shah Firdaus went on to reach the medal stages before settling for fourth place.
He was the first to set a new personal best in the individual sprint when he clocked 9.609 at the World Track Cycling Championships in Berlin early last year season before Azizul reclaimed the national record moments later with a sensational 9.548.
The national record for the 200m sprint was 9.760.
Since then, he has made steady progress and has defeated Azizulhasni twice in the domestic competitions in Australia this year.
It is only because of the lack of international competitions due to Covid-19 that Shah Firdaus has stayed off the radar.