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KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) has lauded the Road to Gold (RTG) committee over its decision to send a contingent to next year’s Paris Olympics.
MNCF vice-president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill yesterday echoed Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh that Malaysia would not mix politics with sports.
I am happy that Malaysia has decided not to boycott the Olympics. Let’s not mix politics with sports. If the European countries decide to boycott the Olympics, that is their own problem,” he said when met last night.
On the face of it, cycling would be Malaysia’s best chance of claiming its first Olympic gold through 2020 Tokyo Games silver-medallist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang.
Azizulhasni, who also won bronze in the 2016 Rio Games, is one of 15 gold-medal prospects identified by the RTG committee.
Some of his biggest rivals in track cycling’s men’s keirin discipline are from Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, and Germany.
His teammate Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom is also included on the committee’s list.
Amarjit said the two men’s cycling prospects would be prepared for the games as if all countries would be taking part, despite calls from some nations to skip the global multi-sports event over the International Olympics Council’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag.
He admitted that if some countries decide to skip the Games, Malaysia would not pass on such a rare opportunity to claim its first gold.
“Of course, there will be some advantage for us (to win the country’s first gold). However, all the rhetoric about boycotting the Olympics – at the end of the day you will be seeing all these countries taking part.
“So, I think we have to go well prepared as if these top countries are competing in the Olympics.
“If they do not participate, then we have the advantage. It will help us,” he added.
Other than Azizulhasni and Shah Firdaus, Amarjit said the cycling federation also hoped the RTG committee would consider including Muhammad Fadhil Mohd Zonis on the list.
He said that Fadhil could be an essential addition to the team, especially in qualifying for the team sprint event.
We have requested the RTG committee to also include Fadhil in the programme because he is our backup athlete. It is also important that he is incorporated into the RTG programme so we could have him qualify for the team sprint event with Azizul and Shah Firdaus.
“We need to get them in the programme and provide them with additional support before the qualification period ends,” he said.
Speaking on the team’s preparation for next year’s Olympics, Amarjit assured their training programme has been going smoothly and according to plan.
The team will return from training in Spain next week and continue preparation in Nilai ahead of the National Track Championships.
After the Asian Track Cycling Championships slated for June 13-19, the team will then travel to Europe to prepare for the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Glasgow in August. – The Vibes, April 8, 2023