Meet The 4 Cyclists Who Will Represent Malaysia At The 2024 Paris Olympics
Time to root for our athletes!
By Sadho Ram — 24 Apr 2024, 11:00 AM
Four Malaysian cyclists have qualified to compete in cycling events at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, taking place from July to August
Malaysian National Cycling Federation deputy president Amarjit Singh Gill announced that the cyclists representing Malaysia are Nur Aisyah Zubir, Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri, Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom, and Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang.
Amarjit said their names were confirmed after the International Cycling Union (UCI) released the track cycling quotas for each country's National Olympic Committee earlier this week, reported FMT.
Amarjit said that the federation is happy with the track cycling team for the Paris Olympics.
The team includes experienced riders Azizulhasni and Firdaus, who will compete in both keirin and sprint events. Newcomer Nurul will also be participating in both categories.
The team has a rigorous training schedule for the next three months. It starts with training at the National Velodrome in Nilai, followed by a short training camp in Europe before heading to Paris for the competition.
1. Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang
Azizulhasni, nicknamed "The Pocket Rocketman" for his small stature, is the first and only Malaysian cyclist to win Olympic medals, winning a silver and a bronze. He is also about to make his fifth Olympic appearance, setting a record for the most appearances by any Malaysian male athlete.
He also won a gold medal at the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.
2. Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom
A rising star in Malaysian track cycling, Firdaus is often referred to as "The Terminator Shah".
The 28-year-old outclassed Azizulhasni to win the 2021 Australian Track National Championship.
3. Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri
The 20-year-old will be making her debut at the world's biggest sporting event.
She first showcased her talent on the international stage by winning the gold medal in the 500m time trial event at the 2022 Asian Track Cycling Championships in New Delhi, India.
Nurul then clinched two gold medals each at the 2024 Asian Track Cycling Championships in New Delhi, winning in both the keirin and the 500m time trial events.
She has been compared to Azizulhasni and given the nickname "The Pocket Rocketwoman".
4. Nur Aisyah Zubir
Another up-and-coming talent in Malaysian cycling, Aisyah has been making waves in the world of road racing.
She is a three-time National Champion in Malaysia's Women's Road Race competition. She recently made history by becoming the first Malaysian woman to qualify for the Olympic road race event.
These four bring the total number of Malaysian athletes who have officially qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics to nine
The other qualified athletes are Bertrand Rhodict Lises (diver), Nur Shazrin Mohd Latif (sailing), Johnathan Wong (shooting), Ariana Nur Dania Mohd Zairi (archery), and Mohamad Aniq Kasdan (weightlifting).
