KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — National track cyclist Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom’s bronze medal win at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham proved that the 26-year-old has moved into another phase of his career, said national keirin ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang.
Azizulhasni or better known as Pocketrocketman for his burst of speed in keirin events, especially towards the finish line, said the Muar-born Shah Firdaus’ current form and performance can serve as a boost to excel at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
“The success in Birmingham recently shows that he (Shah) has moved into another phase of his career and matured into a prominent rider. We can see that he is ready to perform and produce results on the international stage.
“His achievement also answered a long-standing question of who will be the country’s next flag-bearer in track cycling,” said Azizulhasni in a Facebook post today.
The winner of numerous titles on the world stage said the Commonwealth Games was a very highly competitive competition in track cycling and winning a medal will certainly boost the confidence of Shah Firdaus.
Azizulhasni said the country’s track cycling camp had been waiting for eight years to see a medal of any colour at the Commonwealth Games’ keirin event.
The Pocketrocketman was actually the last cyclist to have won a medal in the Commonwealth Games when he bagged a bronze medal at the 2014 edition in Glasgow, Scotland.
Josiah Ng remains the only Malaysian track cyclist to have won a gold medal in track cycling when he clinched the gold during the 19th edition in New Delhi, India back in 2010.
— Bernama
