NILAI: The cycling events of the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games (KL2017) get underway tomorrow with 20 gold medals up for grabs in track, road and BMX events.
Track offers 13, road racing (five) and BMX (two), making cycling a gold mine for the coveted colour.
The sport has garnered such popularity that tickets for events like Omnium, scratch, keirin, time trial, team pursuit and sprint which will take place at the National Velodrome were sold out two weeks ago.
All eyes will be on 2017 World Keirin champion Azizulhasni Awang to deliver the gold in keirin and the sprint, Fatehah Mustapa (sprint, 500 metres time trial, keirin and team sprint ), Farina Shawati Mohd Adnan (keirin, team sprint and sprint).
Malaysians will also be counting on national elite cyclist Ju Pha Som Net to deliver in the criterium and individual mass start and Omnium. Ju Pha secured the bronze in the criterium in the 28th Sea Games in Singapore two years ago.
Nurul Suhada Zainal who also won a bronze for Malaysia in the Mass Start at the Singapore Games is also a medal prospect.
Also 2015 Sea Games double gold medallist Mohd Hariff Saleh (men’s Criterium and Mass Start) and Anuar Manan (Mass Start).
Cycling will start off with the men’s and women’s criterium at Dataran Putrajaya tomorrow. Two gold medals are at stake.-- BERNAMA