NILAI — The national women’s squad kicked off their 2025 Asian Track Cycling Championships (ATC) campaign in style, breaking the national record while successfully defending their silver medal in the team sprint event at the National Velodrome yesterday.
The trio of Anis Amira Rosidi, Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri, and Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid set a new national record of 48.458 seconds, defeating Taiwan’s Qiu Jin Wen, Wang Sin Ting, and Chen Ching Yun (50.657s) in the first round.
Their time surpassed the previous record of 49.025s, set by Nurul Aliana Syafika Azizan, Nurul Izzah Izzati, and Anis at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September 2023.
However, in the final, they had to settle for silver after clocking 49.132s, losing to China’s Bao Shanju, Guo Yufang, and Luo Shuyan (46.990s), who secured their third consecutive title. Japan’s Aki Sakai, Mina Sato, and Haruka Nakazawa took bronze.
Meanwhile, the junior women’s team sprint squad of Nurul Akhma Atiqah Ahmed Haizan, Nur Umairah Qhaisara Zulfikha Razak, and Sawda Hasbullah also impressed, setting two new national records before claiming silver.
They recorded 51.710s in the qualifying round and improved it to 51.801s in the first round, defeating Taiwan’s Liu Hui Li, Liu Shang Ying, and Lo Yun Han (53.333s) to reach the final.
Despite their efforts, they finished as runners-up after posting 51.931s against South Korea’s Kim Jia, Park Yebeen, and Park Hyerin (50.916s), while Taiwan secured bronze.
Their achievement shattered the previous national record of 52.979s, set by Azwa Nabila Abdullah, Nyo Ci Hui, and Yong Ann Tung at the 2022 edition in New Delhi, India.
The men’s team sprint squad, defending silver medallists, secured bronze after Mohd Akmal Nazimi Jusena, Muhammad Ridwan Sahrom, and Muhammad Fadhil Mohd Zonis (44.033s) defeated India’s Rojit Singh, Esow Alben, and David Becham (44.909s) in the bronze medal decider.
Earlier, in the first round, the trio came close to breaking the seven-year-old national record, clocking 43.996s—just short of the 43.934s record set by Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom, and Muhammad Fadhil at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
Japan’s Yoshitaku Nagasako, Kaiya Ota, and Shinji Nakano (43.258s) clinched gold after defeating China’s Tang Haoju, Feng Yusheng, and Liu Qi (43.708s).
In the para track cycling event, Mohd Khairul Hazwan Wahab, Muhammad Khairul Adha Rasol (pilot), Nur Suraiya Muhammad Zamri, and Farina Shawati Mohd Adnan (pilot) secured gold in the mixed tandem B team sprint event with a time of 52.560s, beating Thailand’s Surachai Yokphanitchakit, Jetsada Janluang (pilot), Watcharoban Boonmalert, and Pannaray Rasee (pilot) (54.066s).
National track cycling head coach Harnizam Basri, who had initially set a modest target of three medals, is now optimistic about surpassing expectations after the senior squad secured two medals on the first day.
“We still have medal opportunities, possibly even gold, in the time trial and keirin events for both men and women. However, we anticipate stiff competition from Japan and China.
“For the sprint events starting tomorrow, we aim for Shah Firdaus to perform well in the qualifiers and reach at least the quarter-finals, as he needs to conserve energy for the keirin event next week.
“The keirin remains an open contest, but Japan is expected to field their strongest riders (Shinji Nakano and Kaiya Ota),” he told reporters. — February 22, 2025