THE national junior track squad's preparation for the Asian Championships is right on track with some impressive performances in the Tasmania Cycling Christmas Carnival with Mohd Fadhil Mohd Zonis and Shariz Afeendi Shahrin leading the way.
Fadhil, 17, finished an impressive third in the elimination race at the Silverdome on Saturday, where Eiman Firdaus Mohd Zamri made the final of the 2km handicap race and Mohd Nur Aiman Rosli scored podium finishes with third spots in the under-15 scratch race and 1km handicap race.
The girls also shone with Nur Azrenna Ahmad Jumri taking second spot in the scratch race, ahead of national squad debutante Anis Amira Rosidi, who took third.
At the Latrobe outdoor velodrome on Sunday, Shariz Afeendi and Fadhil took second and third spots in the scratch race, just before the races were halted due to rain.
Coach Junaidi Nasir reiterated that this was just a training stint, but he was impressed with the performances of his charges.
“For the moment, everything is going as planned and for the sprinters, their form is on schedule. This is just a training stint to give them some sharpness and they got some pocket money from their winnings,” said Junaidi.
“There is no pressure at the moment and the riders just need to enjoy racing.
“It is also a good experience for the under-19s, as they compete in open races against stars like pursuit world record holder Jack Bobridge and Scott Sunderland. So, this is really good exposure for them.
“For the endurance riders, I can see there is a lot of potential and they can go far with proper guidance and training.”
The 10-member junior squad have three more days of racing in Tasmania to complete the carnival before returning home for a short break prior to heading to Chiangmai for a month-long training camp ahead of the Asian Championships in February. By Arnaz M. Khairul